Whether it’s seeking the AL East title instead of a Wild Card spot or going for a sweep instead of settling for a series win, Alex Cora has often said he wants the Red Sox to “get greedy.”
If there was ever a night for the Red Sox to get greedy, Wednesday would have been it.
The Red Sox squandered an opportunity to complete a massive sweep of a top playoff rival, stumbling in the series finale 8-4 against the Kansas City Royals. Bobby Witt Jr. hit two home runs and drove in four runs to lead the way, and Kutter Crawford’s struggles continued as the Red Sox starter allowed six runs in only 3.2 innings.
The bulk of the damage came in a five-run bottom of the fourth, during which Boston saw a 4-2 lead flip into a 7-4 deficit.
Initially Kansas City had jumped out to a 2-0 lead. Witt hit his first home run, a solo shot, off Crawford in the bottom of the first, marking the 13th home run Crawford has allowed in his last four starts. Michael Massey added an RBI single in the third, but the Red Sox answered with a three-run home run by Romy Gonzalez in the third and a solo shot by Danny Jansen in the fourth.
It seemed in the moment like the Red Sox had all the momentum, but then Crawford walked the leadoff man MJ Melendez in the bottom of the fourth and things quickly went downhill from there.
Melendez advanced to third on a subsequent single and scored on a wild pitch to cut the deficit to one. Then, with two outs in the inning, Crawford walked Massey to bring up Witt, and the MVP candidate made the Red Sox pay by lacing a two-run double to give Kansas City the lead.
That chased Crawford from the game, and left-hander Brennan Bernardino didn’t fare much better. He immediately allowed a two-run home run to Vinnie Pasquantino.
Witt went deep a second time in the bottom of the sixth off Josh Winckowski to make it 8-4, drawing huge “MVP” chants from the Kansas City crowd as he crossed home plate. He finished 3 for 4 with two homers, a double, three runs scored and four RBI.
All told it was a night to forget for Crawford, who in addition to the home runs has allowed five or more runs in four straight starts to open the second half. His ERA over that stretch is 10.61, and his 3.2 innings and four walks on Wednesday were both season-worsts.
Wednesday also marked a rare night where the Red Sox offense didn’t run completely wild.
Outside of the two home runs the lineup couldn’t get much going against Royals left-hander Cole Ragans, who allowed four runs (one earned) on six hits over 6.1 innings with seven strikeouts. Boston had an opening in the seventh when Masataka Yoshida and Ceddanne Rafaela each singled to put two on with one out, but recent trade acquisition Lucas Erceg was summoned and quickly quashed the rally.
Erceg threw 1.2 perfect innings of relief, including a 100 mph fastball to strike out Wilyer Abreu and end the seventh. Boston finished 1 for 6 with runners in scoring position and never threatened again the rest of the way.
One positive development for the Red Sox, however, was the dominant return of Chris Martin. Freshly activated from the injured list after more than a month on the shelf with right elbow inflammation, Martin struck out all three men he faced in the bottom of the eighth.
Either way, the Red Sox now trail the Royals by 1.5 games for the last American League Wild Card spot, but they also finish the road trip 4-2 with back-to-back series wins against potential playoff competitors. Boston will get Thursday off before opening a six-game homestand with a weekend series against the Houston Astros.