Red Sox fall to Angels 9-5 on June 24 after Walker Buehler's 7 walks and a bullpen collapse. Trevor Story's homer wasn't enough to stop the late rally.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Just when you thought the Red Sox had weathered the storm, the clouds opened up again. In a chaotic West Coast affair, Boston jumped out to an early lead, watched it evaporate amidst a flurry of walks, clawed their way back to a tie, only to see it all unravel in a four-run eighth inning, ultimately falling 9-5 to the Los Angeles Angels.
A career-high seven walks issued by starter Walker Buehler.
The night started with a bang for Boston. The Sox ambushed Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz for five hits and three runs in the first inning, capped by a two-run single from Wilyer Abreu. But the optimism was short-lived. Walker Buehler endured a nightmare bottom half, issuing a career-high seven walks and hitting two batters en route to a five-run Angels inning. Despite the bizarre start, the Sox fought back, with Trevor Story blasting a solo homer in the sixth to tie the game 5-5. But the bullpen couldn't hold on. Garrett Whitlock took the loss after the Angels exploded for four runs in the eighth, with a sac fly from rookie Christian Moore and a back-breaking two-run single by Travis d’Arnaud sealing Boston's fate.
Tuesday's pitching meltdown was particularly jarring because it runs counter to the team's biggest recent strength. Coming into the game, the starting rotation had posted a minuscule 1.32 ERA over their last turn through the order, with Garrett Crochet emerging as a legitimate ace. However, the foundation showed a crack with news that righty Hunter Dobbins, a key part of that successful run, was placed on the 15-day IL with a right elbow strain. In his place, Richard Fitts gets the call from Worcester, tasked with plugging a sudden and unexpected hole in the rotation.
While the Dobbins news is a blow, help appears to be on the way for the pitching staff. Tanner Houck is scheduled to make a rehab start for Triple-A Worcester, a major step in his return from a right flexor pronator strain. Even sooner, Jordan Hicks, who began his rehab assignment on June 22, could rejoin the team as early as this Friday. These potential returns provide a much-needed silver lining. The outlook is less clear for reliever Justin Slaten, who is still awaiting MRI results for his shoulder inflammation and has not yet been cleared to throw.
One game doesn't define a season, but Tuesday's loss was a bitter pill to swallow, exposing potential cracks in the team's greatest strength: its pitching. With Hunter Dobbins now sidelined and question marks surrounding the bullpen, the pressure mounts. The Sox will look to even the series tomorrow, hoping for a much cleaner performance on the mound as they navigate the challenges of this crucial West Coast trip. Reinforcements are coming, but they need to weather the storm until they arrive.
