BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox will try to end a three-game losing streak and avoid dropping their fourth straight series when they host the Milwaukee Brewers tonight. Milwaukee opened the three-game set by overcoming a three-run deficit en route to an 8-6 victory on Monday.
Christian Yelich recorded three of the Brewers’ 11 hits, plus an RBI.
“Our offense … it doesn’t matter what the score is, we can grind out at-bats, get guys on and make things happen for sure,” said starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff, who gave up three runs and seven hits over 5 2/3 innings.
“Early in the year when it’s cold like this, you’re just trying to give your team a chance to win. Yeah, it would be great to throw up zeros, but the way the game was transpiring, I was just trying to give us a chance. Getting into the sixth was big. It was huge for the guys down in the (bullpen) because we were short. I knew I needed to do that.”
After starting the season by losing two of three games in Cincinnati, Boston was swept by Houston and then lost two of three against San Diego.
“It was a great win,” Yelich said Monday. “It was a toughness win from the guys. We got down. It was cold out there (low 40s at game time). We got a short ‘pen, and we found a way to win. We’re willing to grind with anybody. Just proud of the guys for finding a way there.”
Boston committed two errors during Monday’s loss and has 11 in 10 games. The boos may have been the loudest after Roman Anthony committed a throwing error in the eighth inning that allowed a run to score and give Milwaukee a 7-5 lead.
“It wasn’t a good throw,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “(Pitcher Garrett Whitlock) didn’t back up. We’re just watching the play. When the ball is hit we got to go somewhere. The only people that can watch is the people in the stands, and obviously they’re not too happy.
“That’s why we love it here because their expectations are up there with us. And right now we deserve whatever they’re thinking. We’re not playing good baseball and we know it.”
Willson Contreras was a bright spot for the Red Sox, hitting a solo home run and reaching base a career-high five times.
It will be a battle of aces on Tuesday when Boston left-hander Garrett Crochet (1-1, 3.27 ERA) is scheduled to start opposite right-hander Jacob Misiorowski (1-0, 2.45).
Crochet took the loss in his last start after allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits in five innings of a 6-4 defeat to Houston on Wednesday. He is 0-1 with a 2.13 ERA in two career appearances against Milwaukee, with 19 strikeouts in 12 2/3 innings.
“Like I said a few days ago, we have to pitch to get to .500 and go where we want to go,” Cora said. “We have to pitch, that’s the bottom line. We walked eight (on Monday). They had 18 at-bats with men in scoring position. It’s very hard to win that way. Very hard.”
Misiorowski will make his first career appearance against the Red Sox. He has thrown 20 pitches this season clocked at 100 mph or higher. In his most recent outing, he gave two runs and four hits over six innings in a no-decision vs. Tampa Bay on Wednesday. Misiorowski struck out seven and walked two in his team’s 8-2 victory.
–Field Level Media