Red Sox lose 9-5 to the Angels on June 24 after an 8th-inning collapse. Despite a Trevor Story HR, Walker Buehler's struggles and an Alex Cora ejection doomed Boston.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Just when you thought the Red Sox had clawed their way back, the floor fell out from under them. A hard-fought battle that saw Boston erase an early five-run deficit ended in heartbreak Tuesday night in Anaheim, as a four-run eighth inning by the Angels sealed a 9-5 defeat. The loss was a potent cocktail of frustration, featuring a shaky start from Walker Buehler, costly mistakes on the basepaths, and, for the second straight night, an early exit for manager Alex Cora.
Walker Buehler struggled, walking a career-high seven batters in four innings and allowing five runs in the first.
The game was there for the taking. After Trevor Story blasted a solo shot in the sixth to tie it 5-5, the bullpen held things steady, and it felt like Boston had the momentum. But the eighth inning was a nightmare. The Angels broke the 5-5 tie on a sacrifice fly from rookie Christian Moore, opening the floodgates for a four-run frame that put the game out of reach. It was a gut-punch ending to a game the Sox had worked so hard to get back into, with Zach Neto's 3-for-4 night pacing the Angels' attack.
The late-game implosion was only part of the story. The Sox were playing from behind from the jump, thanks to a brutal first inning where starter Walker Buehler couldn't find the plate. Even when the offense rallied, with Wilyer Abreu's two-run single cutting the early lead, they shot themselves in the foot, running into two outs on the bases during a bizarre fifth-inning rundown. The play was so contentious that it led to Alex Cora's second ejection in as many games, as he vehemently argued that Angels infielder Luis Rengifo illegally blocked the bag.
If there's a silver lining, it's that help might be on the way for the pitching staff. While the big league club struggled, Tanner Houck made his scheduled rehab start for Triple-A Worcester on Tuesday as he works back from his right flexor pronator strain. Fellow pitcher Jordan Hicks is also progressing on his rehab assignment with the WooSox and could potentially rejoin the team as early as June 27. The news wasn't as clear for Justin Slaten, who is still awaiting MRI results on his shoulder, but getting Houck and Hicks back would be a massive boost for a rotation and bullpen that clearly needs it.
This was a tough one to swallow. A winnable game slipped away due to the kind of mistakes that can't happen if this team wants to make a serious run. They'll need to wash this one off quickly, clean up the fundamentals, and hope the impending return of Houck and Hicks can provide the stability they desperately need. It's time to regroup and come out swinging tomorrow, because losses like this can't become a habit.
