Red Sox bullpen blows another Chris Sale start, Rangers win 4-3
The Red Sox bullpen has now blown 10 saves in 2019 after Matt Barnes gave up two runs in the ninth inning.
Jun 10, 2019; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Chris Sale (41) pitches against the Texas Rangers during the first inning at Fenway Park.
Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY SportsBOSTON - Chris Sale did everything he could to win Monday night's series opener against the Texas Rangers.
Except pitch all 11 innings.
The Red Sox bullpen blew another Sale start in a 4-3 loss to the Rangers in extra innings. Boston relievers have combined to blow 10 saves so far in 2019.
Matt Barnes gave up two runs in the ninth inning to give away a 2-1 lead. Barnes was rocked for two runs on three hits, all of which came consecutively with one out in the inning. Nomar Mazara drove in the tying and go-ahead runs on a hard-hit single.
Brock Holt tied the game in the bottom of the ninth inning with a run-scoring single, but Ryan Brasier would give up a run in the 11th inning to lose the ballgame.
Sale dominated over seven innings of work. The left-hander struck out 10 and gave up one run on three hits. That run was unearned on a throwing error by catcher Sandy Leon.
Sale has not won a game at Fenway Park since July 11, 2018. He has now turned in six quality starts in 2019 that did not result in a win.
Texas starter Mike Minor also pitched well, giving up two runs over eight innings of work. The lone blemish came in the first inning on a two-run home run by Andrew Benintendi:
That was Benintendi's seventh home run of 2019.
Before the game, the Red Sox acknowledged the shooting of David Ortiz in the Dominican Republic. Ortiz has arrived in Boston for additional medical treatment at Massachusetts General Hospital.
The Red Sox and Rangers will continue their four-game series on Tuesday. Wednesday's first pitch time has been changed from 7:10 to 4:05 to avoid a conflict with Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.
