The Red Sox fell 5-2 to the Cleveland Indians as Franklin Morales lost control late and the Sox ran into important outs on the basepaths.
Morales started the game as hot as a starting pitcher can, striking out the side in order in the first., and another strikeout ended a 1-2-3 second.
The third provided the first bump in the road. A 3-1 fastball over the plate to Brent Lillibridge ended up well into the stands in left field, putting the Indians ahead 1-0 after three baserunner-free innings from Zach McAllister.
Morales would bounce back in the fourth, but only after his offense had provided him a lead. A leadoff double from Jacoby Ellsbury helped Carl Crawford reach with a bunt when Zach McAllister checked a vacant third base before firing late to first, and Ellsbury bluffing off the bag distracted Brent Lillibridge long enough after a weak ground ball to third to load the bases. Adrian Gonzalez came through with a double off the wall in left, and the Sox pulled ahead 2-1, although Dustin Pedroia helped minimize the rally's potential by running into the first out at home.
The lead would not last long. A leadoff walk to Michael Brantley and a balk from Franklin Morales led to an RBI single from Brent Lillibridge, getting the job done once again and pulling the Indians even with the Sox at 2-2.
Even the tie was fleeting, however. After the Sox failed to go-ahead in large part thanks to Jacoby Ellsbury making the first out of the sixth at third, trying to stretch a double into a triple, the Indians would set up something of a picket fence. Franklin Morales would lose control and load the bases before being pulled for Andrew Miller, who surrendered the go-ahead sacrifice fly.
Again in the seventh and eighth the Inidans added to their tally by one. AA leadoff double from Brent Lillibridge and squeeze bunt from Lou Marson made it 4-2 after seven, and Ezequiel Carrera brought home Carlos Santana with two outs in the eighth to make it 5-2. With the Sox unable to mount a rally, they ensured their third straight winless series.
Read more on the Red Sox at Over the Monster and SB Nation Boston. Check out Let's Go Tribe and SB Nation Cleveland for more on the Indians. Baseball Nation is your source for news and analysis around Major League Baseball.