Astros Leave Fenway Frozen after 13-5 Win over Red Sox

If Revenge is a dish best served cold, I hope you were all bundled up last night at Fenway. Last week on their trip to Houston the Sox took two of three from the Astros. Including a 17-1 door-slam in the third game of that set. Last night the Astros came to Fenway and turned it into a sub-zero evening for everyone in attendance.

It was “SALE DAY” at Fenway, so even coming off a series loss to the Dodgers the masses were feeling good. That good feeling lasted about four and two thirds innings of work by the former Red Sox ace. Sale gave up 3 runs on 7 hits. He did strike out 6 on the shortened evening but it was a struggle for him most of the night as he used his left arm 92 times in those 4.2 innings of work. Including a pair of doubles to Pena and Altuve (who hit for the cycle) and a dinger to Jose Abreu. But even this mess wasn't the story of the evening.

Because In a blink of an eye, Kyle Barraclough’s ERA jumped from 2.70 to 12.91. And I'm sorry you all had to witness that. Barraclough got the last out of the fifth and Alex Cora chose to send him back out for the sixth where he gave up 6 runs. and the seventh where he gave up 2. and the eighth where he gave up another 2 earned. Surely Cora would yank him for someone anyone in the ninth? Nope . Barraclough asked for the ball. And Cora gave it to him. Only by the grace of the baseball gods did he get out of the ninth and to the showers. 10 runs on 11 hits. If only this game had been on apple TV so there would have been a chance his parents and family weren't watching.

After the game Cora had to answer for his Sin. and his confession to reporters was this.

“For us, it's tough, But this is where we’re at. It’s 16 games in a row. And a lot of teams go through this and we just have to get over that hurdle. Right now for us, this is where we’re at. We’re going to be in better shape Tomorrow bullpen-wise. Much better.”

Cora punted the game to reset his pen. As a coach I understand his meaning but disagree with the method. If he knew he was only going to use two pitchers on the night he should have let Sale go at least an inning deeper. Yes it was a bad look in the fifth with a pair of passed balls, and Sale had thrown 92 pitches on the night. But if you know you had one move in your pocket for the hill and you were still in a close tilt against the team you are chasing in the WILD CARD standings. Why not give Sale at least the sixth? It's another mystery of the 2023 Red Sox.