Red Sox Suffer Devastating 10-9 Loss to Tigers Despite Manager’s Praise for Baéz
DETROIT — The Boston Red Sox faced harsh reality Tuesday night, suffering a 10-9 defeat to the Detroit Tigers in a dramatic contest that highlighted their bullpen struggles. Manager Alex Cora had praised Javier Baéz of Puerto Rico for his recent resurgence, but Baéz delivered a dominating performance that turned the game on its head.
Baéz crushed two three-run homers, the second of which served as a walk-off shot against Greg Weissert, sealing the Red Sox’s worst loss of the season. “Offensively, we kept pushing. On the mound, we didn’t do a good job against the bottom of the lineup,” Cora stated, emphasizing the need for improved execution.
Boston’s bullpen woes were evident as they squandered leads in the sixth, tenth, and eleventh innings. Garrett Whitlock, brought in to secure a 4-3 lead, failed to deliver, leading to Baéz’s first home run. “I’m pretty pissed at myself for that,” Whitlock admitted, reflecting on his struggle to throw effective pitches.
Despite Boston tying the game in the eighth with a two-run homer from David Hamilton, and taking a brief lead in the tenth, the team’s pitching collapsed again. Weissert, going into the eleventh with a two-run cushion, quickly found challenges against Baéz and the Tigers’ lineup.
Cora remains concerned, as the Red Sox lead Major League Baseball with 11 saves yet continue to seek consistency from their bullpen. Baéz’s exceptional performance served as both a celebration for Detroit and a lesson in the importance of execution for Boston. “We paid the price,” Cora noted somberly. The Red Sox will need to regroup as they continue their pursuit of success this season.
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