Red Sox ‘embarrassed’ in 21-2 loss to Angels
BOSTON (AP) — Coming off a rough June, the Boston Red Sox looked like they were starting off a new month the right way.
Instead they gave up their most runs at home in nearly seven seasons.
C.J. Cron went 6 for 6 with two homers and five RBIs, Carlos Perez had five hits and drove in six and the Los Angeles Angels walloped the Red Sox 21-2 on Saturday night to end a four-game losing streak.
“Honestly, we’re embarrassed by tonight’s ball game,” Boston manager John Farrell said. “There’s really no other way to put it. We got kicked around the ballpark tonight.”
Starter Clay Buchholz and relievers Robbie Ross Jr. and Pat Light each gave up six runs. It’s the first time Boston has allowed 20 runs in Fenway Park since a 20-11 drubbing by the rival Yankees in August of 2009.
The Red Sox were 10-16 in June. Second baseman Dustin Pedroia said the team needs to get things turned for the better quickly, but also needs to relax.
“Absolutely we need to get out of it,” he said. “We need to play better. But I mean going into the year we knew we were going to have a stretch like this. If everyone thought we were going to show up and win 140 games, that’s not how baseball works. You’re going to have bumps in the road.”
Mookie Betts had a solo homer and three hits for Boston, which won the series opener after losing four of five. The Red Sox gave up seven unearned runs with a season-high four errors.
Red Sox outfielder Ryan LaMarre pitched the ninth, giving up no runs and two hits.
Hector Santiago (5-4) got the win, holding the majors’ highest scoring team to one unearned run and four hits over six innings.
Buchholz gave up six runs — three earned — in 4 1/3 innings.
Albert Pujols hit his 575th career homer - a two-run shot — and had five RBIs for the Angels, who had lost 10 of their last 11 games.
Cron and Perez each homered during an 11-run seventh inning. They are the first set of teammates with at least five hits and five RBIs in the same game since Gene Moore and Buck Jordan for the Boston Braves in 1936, according to ESPN.
It’s the sixth time the Angels reached 20 runs, the last coming against Kansas City on Aug. 25, 2004. The club record for runs is 24, set at Toronto on Aug. 25, 1979.
With Los Angles leading 4-0 in the fifth, Perez’s three-run double capped a five-run inning that broke it open. Buchholz (3-9) was lifted with runners on first and second with one out. Travis Shaw then fired high to second for an error on a probable double-play grounder by Pujols, with the relay late to first. One out later, Cron hit his two-run single.
Johnny Giavotella singled to re-load the bases before Perez cleared them with a double off the center-field wall.
Cron homered over the Monster in the fourth to make it 4-0.
TROUBLE AGAINST ANGELS
Boston fell to 8-22 in its last 30 against Los Angeles.
ELEVEN-RUN INNING
During the 11-run seventh, Pujols had a three-run double, Cron a two-run homer and Perez added a two-run shot, which brought mock cheers from the fans. The inning put Los Angeles ahead 20-1.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: Farrell said switch-hitting OF/C Blake Swihart (sprained left ankle) took BP indoors, but only from the left side to avoid stress on the ankle. ... The manager also said that RHP Joe Kelly (demoted to the minors last month) threw a 40-pitch session Saturday as he works to come back from a groin injury. When healthy, the plan is to shift him to relief and prepare him to work out of Boston’s bullpen.
UP NEXT
Angels: RHP Matt Shoemaker (3-8, 4.12 ERA) looks for better luck this month starting in the series finale on Sunday. He was winless in six June starts, going 0-3 despite a 2.14 ERA.
Red Sox: RHP Sean O’Sullivan (1-0, 7.94) is slated to start for Boston.