The Red Sox are starting a 10 game road trip and hoped to take advantage of playing the team with the worst record in the AL, the Houston Astros. It was John Lackey up against Brett Oberholtzer. Lackey once again pitched well, but he got no run support and ended up with another loss.
The game really looked like a pitchers duel between Lackey and Oberholtzer. Lackey kept it scoreless until the 5th inning, however in many ways it is amazing he made it to the 3rd inning. Lackey fielded a ball in the 2nd and turned his ankle as a result. Lackey got the out, but he also dropped to the ground in pain. He had to be helped off the field and it looked like he might be done for the night. When the bottom of the 3rd came around, Lackey came out of the dugout and back on the mound. Lackey and the Sox really seemed to dodge a bullet there. The game stayed scoreless until the 5th when Lackey gave up an RBI single to Grossman. Sox 0-1. In the 7th Lackey was still out there, but ended up having runners at 1st and 3rd with no outs. Lackey was out of the game and Tazawa was in. Taz got an out, but then Barnes hit a suicide squeeze bunt to score Hoes. Sox 0-2. That closed the book on Lackey's night. His pitching line was 113 pitches, 6+ IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 BB and 10 Ks.
As for the Sox offense, it was basically none existence. The Sox didn't get a runner to 3rd base until the 7th inning, but they were never able to get someone across the plate. Lackey pitched well, the bullpen pitched well, but in the end they were out pitched and out done by the Astros.
Red Sox 0 Astros 2 BOXSCORE
WP: Oberholtzer (2-0) LP: Lackey (7-9) SV: Fields (1)
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