Red Sox

Mental mistakes derail Red Sox in 5-2 loss to Reds

Boston committed three errors on Friday night, one of which proved particularly costly.

By Colin McCarthy

June 21, 2024

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The first six innings of the Red Sox’s Friday night tilt in Cincinnati featured a strong pitching battle, although each starter gave up his share of solo home runs to fuel scoring.

During the seventh inning, though, Boston’s mental mistakes unraveled it and allowed the Reds to establish a 5-2 lead that they never relinquished.

The Red Sox committed three errors on Friday, compared to zero by Cincinnati, and that proved to be the difference in the loss.

Kutter Crawford got the start on the bump for Boston, and went 6.1 innings before Alex Cora finally sat the workhorse. He turned to Cam Booser, whose night got off to the least ideal start possible.

The Reds laid down a bunt right in front of Booser on his first pitch to try to score a run from third. Booser’s glove-flip to the plate was well over Connor Wong’s head, allowing not one but two runs to score on the error.

Two other miscues in the same inning allowed more Cincinnati runners to get on base. Both Enmanuel Valdez and Rafael Devers missed on throws to Bobby Dalbec at first base that could have been outs.

“We were hanging in there, we had a bad inning defensively and that was it,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of the loss.

Crawford gave up five hits and three earned runs while striking out seven in his outing. On the opposite side, Reds starter Andrew Abbott went 5.2 innings with four hits, two earned runs, and 10 strikeouts.

Pitching wasn’t the only spot where the Reds and Red Sox were nearly even, either. Both teams registered six hits, and the earned runs were 3-2 in favor of Cincinnati. But, defensive mishaps made a very close game just a little too lopsided to overcome.

Cora said the Red Sox will go as far as their defense takes them. Friday night was not a positive sign for that notion.