BOSTON — The Red Sox lost 5-4 to the Guardians on Thursday to finish their 10-game homestand with a 3-7 record.
Boston (10-10) fell behind 5-1 because of two errors and three unearned runs. Poor infield defense continues to be a trend since Trevor Story went down with a season-ending shoulder subluxation that required surgery.
Boston has committed a major league-leading 20 errors in 20 games. It has allowed 26 unearned runs.
Reliever Cooper Criswell replaced opener Brennan Bernardino to begin the third inning and allowed four runs, although three runs were unearned.
Cleveland scored an unearned run against Criswell in the third inning to tie it 1-1 after shortstop David Hamilton made a one-out fielding error.
Third baseman Pablo Reyes’ throwing error with no outs in the fifth allowed Ramón Laureano to reach base. It was the beginning of a two-run inning for Cleveland. Lefty Joe Jacques replaced Criswell and allowed an RBI single to Andrés Giménez, making it 3-1 Guardians.
It appeared the Red Sox would escape the fifth inning without allowing another run when José Ramírez grounded to third base with the bases loaded and one out. But the Red Sox failed to turn the double play after Reyes appeared to have difficulty transferring the ball out of his glove before throwing to second base. Ramirez beat out Enmanuel Valdez’s weak throw from second to first base, allowing a run to score to make it 4-1.
Bernardino opens strong
Brennan Bernardino served as the opener for Boston’s bullpen game. He pitched 2 scoreless and hitless innings and allowed one walk while striking out two.
The 32-year-old lefty opened six games the past two seasons. He allowed two runs, seven hits and three walks while striking out 16 in 11 innings.
Boston’s offense
The Red Sox took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Leadoff hitter Jarren Duran walked and then stole second base. Triston Casas’ infield single put runners at the corners. Duran scored when Wilyer Abreu grounded into a force-out.
Boston rallied for three runs in the sixth after two quick outs to begin the inning. Reese McGuire and Ceddanne Rafaela hit back-to-back singles with two outs. Duran then crushed a two-run single into the triangle in center field.
Duran scored when Guardians reliever Cade Smith balked, making it 5-4.