PHILADELPHIA -- After surging into the All-Star break as the hottest team in the Majors, the Red Sox have limped out of the Midsummer Classic.
Philadelphia’s Cristopher Sánchez baffled Boston’s hitters in a 4-1 loss on Tuesday night, with the lefty striking out 12 and walking none in a four-hit, complete-game gem.
Tuesday’s performance came on the heels of Monday’s defeat in which the Red Sox fanned 16 times against Philadelphia ace Zack Wheeler and four relievers in a 3-2, 10-inning defeat.
“Two of the best pitchers in the big leagues,” Boston manager Alex Cora said of Wheeler and Sánchez after Tuesday’s game. “That’s the reason they’re good. If we want to play in October, we have to find a way to hit those guys.”
For the series, Boston has 12 hits, two walks and 28 strikeouts.
The Red Sox have lost four of five after 10 consecutive wins before the All-Star break. In those four losses, Boston has tallied four runs, with 46 strikeouts. The high number of K’s is nothing new for Boston, as the club entered Tuesday third in Major League Baseball with 920 strikeouts.
But the Sox have not been countering with their customary hits. Boston began Tuesday with 891 hits, the most in the Majors, but has just 25 knocks in its four recent defeats.
Cora showed no panic whatsoever afterward, crediting the opposition. Sánchez particularly impressed him.
“Electric,” Cora said. “One of the best pitchers in the big leagues. His fastball is unique. His changeup is too. Today, he was on point.”
Rob Refsnyder’s leadoff home run in the fourth inning after Sánchez had retired the first nine Red Sox was Boston’s lone bright spot on offense. The drive made it six straight starts in which Refsnyder has hit safely, with four extra-base hits over the stretch. But the Red Sox could get little else going.
Prized rookie Roman Anthony has struggled mightily in this series, with his four strikeouts on Tuesday giving him eight K’s in nine at-bats.
“Good pitching,” Cora said. “He’ll be OK.”
Boston’s troubles extended beyond offense, as the Red Sox were charged with a strange -- and costly -- catcher’s interference call for the second straight day.
After catcher Carlos Narváez was called for game-ending interference with the bases loaded in the 10th inning on Monday, Boston’s backstop was ruled again for the same infraction but in a different manner in the first inning on Tuesday.
With runners on second and third and two out, Bryce Harper took off from third in an attempt to steal home. Red Sox starter Richard Fitts fired home. Narváez applied the tag, but home-plate umpire Edwin Jimenez immediately ruled catcher’s interference -- which was confirmed by a crew-chief review -- because the catcher came out of his crouch and over the plate.
“Just weird, man,” Cora said. “Two nights in a row. Stuff I’ve never seen in my life. It is what it is. It’s a rule. They checked with New York. They applied the rule. We have to move on.”
Narváez said he had never experienced anything like that in his playing career. If a similar situation occurs, he said he will adjust his position.
According to rule 6.01(g), when a runner tries to score from third on a steal, the catcher cannot step on or in front of home base without possession of the ball.
“Next time that happens, I will stay low,” Narváez said. “Completely weird. Two plays -- last night and tonight. Definitely not a fun spot to be.”
Not fun also can be used to describe Boston’s offense in the series to this point. The Red Sox will look to rebound in Wednesday evening’s finale against lefty Jesús Luzardo (8-5, 4.29).
“We gotta show up tomorrow,” Cora said.