**BOSTON — The Red Sox’s narrow 4-3 defeat to the Rays on Wednesday night underscored several critical issues for Boston, including Tanner Houck’s determined yet challenging outing and costly defensive errors.
Houck threw a career-high 112 pitches over 5 2/3 innings, battling without his best stuff to limit the opposition. However, the loss left the Red Sox needing a win on Thursday to split the four-game series and secure a winning record on their seven-game homestand.**
### Costly Errors and Struggling Offense
The game spotlighted two crucial errors leading to unearned runs and an offense that has struggled to produce. Over the past two weeks, Boston’s bats have faltered, scoring three or fewer runs in all eight of their recent losses, and two or fewer in six of those.
**E-3: A Misplay at First**
In the fourth inning, with Boston ahead 1-0, Richie Palacios hit a grounder to first that Garrett Cooper mishandled, allowing the tying run to score. Cooper acknowledged his mistake: “I probably should have charged it more. It took a late hop and hit something, bouncing the other way. I’ve made that play countless times, but it ate me up this time.” The Red Sox’s lack of offensive production magnified the error, as they went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left six on base.
**E-5: A Missed Opportunity**
The blame did not rest solely on Cooper. The Red Sox regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth with Wilyer Abreu’s solo home run. Houck left the game with two on and two outs in the sixth, and reliever Greg Weissert allowed a game-tying single to Jose Siri. A critical moment came when José Caballero attempted to steal third. Although catcher Connor Wong’s throw was on target to end the inning, Rafael Devers missed the catch, extending the frame. “We had the out at third,” said manager Alex Cora. “If we had slowed him down, we’d probably still be playing.”
Weissert took responsibility for not preventing Caballero’s jump: “These guys are aggressive on the bases. I should have done an inside move to check him.”
This misplay proved costly when Yandy Díaz followed with a two-run single, giving the Rays a 4-2 lead. Although Devers hit a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth, neither team scored further.
### Houck’s Resilience
Despite the loss, Houck (2.17 ERA) continued to show promise this season. He labored at times but held the Rays to five hits, three walks, and three runs (one earned), striking out seven. Manager Alex Cora trusted Houck to pitch through five innings and 95 pitches, reflecting the confidence in a starting rotation leading the Majors in ERA (2.54). Houck expressed his determination: “Too many walks and falling behind in counts led to a higher pitch count and more traffic on the bases. Despite that, I gave everything I had.”
In summary, the Red Sox’s narrow defeat highlighted their defensive lapses and offensive struggles, despite Houck’s gritty performance on the mound. The team now looks to bounce back and secure a win in the series finale.
