Red Sox Suffer First Series Loss In Kansas City Since 2006

I think I speak for most Boston Red Sox fans when I say that we've become numb to all the poor results and terrible baseball that we have been forced to witness since last September. It's hard to keep track of new lows or rock bottom with this team since they seem to set those standards every series or every week.

Tonight, the Red Sox (12-18, 8-8 away) lost 4-3 to the Royals (11-19, 4-13) in the series finale at Kauffman Stadium. With the win, Kansas City took two out of three in the series, a big accomplishment for a squad that had two wins at home before Boston arrived.

For the Red Sox, a miserable 2012 season continues to get more bleak: they have lost seven of their last eight, they're 2-8 in their last 10 and they finished up a very winnable nine-game stretch against Oakland, Baltimore and Kansas City with a record of 2-7.

Save for a few guys (Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz & Alfredo Aceves), this is a team that still is severely lacking in heart or pride. It feels like they're already mailing it in and the month of May only began last week! Pair that with an aging roster, an overrated and underachieving pitching staff, over-the-hill manager, leaky bullpen, key injuries and here we are: last place in the AL East.

The whole game was basically summed up by the first inning: Kansas City had two outs when Marlon Byrd dropped a routine fly ball that would have been an out. That scored a run then two runs came home on Brayan Pena's double that went into Cody Ross's glove but popped out before he could secure it.

Other than that rocky first, Jon Lester (1-3) was fine but his pitch count (108) killed him. He could only last five innings, allowing the four runs (one earned) on six hits with three strikeouts and a walk. Clayton Mortensen was great once again, throwing three scoreless frames in relief of Lester. He helped Boston stay in it.

The most unforgivable aspect of this whole rotten series is that Bruce Chen (1-4) picked up a win against Boston. He went 6.2 innings, allowing three earned runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and no walks. This is the same guy that they scored 10 runs against last July.

All of the Red Sox runs came courtesy of Adrian Gonzalez's three-run double in the third. Other than that, they were blanked by Chen, Aaron Crow (hold, 1.1 innings, 1 strikeout) and Jonathan Broxton (seventh save of the season).

Alcides Escobar's RBI double in the fourth was the difference for the Royals.

The Red Sox put runners on first and second with no outs in the ninth but no surprise, they couldn't push across the tying run let alone the go-ahead run. Byrd appeared to get hit on the elbow on a bunt attempt but the umpire didn't call it; with another chance, Bobby V chose to give away an out with a sacrifice, moving the runners to second and third. From there, Ryan Sweeney had a nice at bat but lined out to Alex Gordon in left who made a great diving catch. Former Royal Mike Aviles (2 hits) couldn't be the hero as he grounded out to the shortstop to wrap it up.

The AL Central leading Cleveland Indians (17-13) come to Boston starting tomorrow night for a four-game series. After skipping a start and getting spotted golfing last week (I wish I was lying), expect Josh Beckett (2-3) to receive plenty of well-deserved boos when he faces former Red Sox pitcher Derek Lowe (4-1) tomorrow (7:10 p.m. NESN). Clay Buchholz (3-1) opposes Ubaldo Jimenez (3-2) on Friday (7:10 p.m., NESN), Felix Doubront (2-1) gets Josh Tomlin (1-2) on Saturday night (7:10 p.m., NESN) and Daniel Bard (2-4) faces another ex-Boston pitcher Justin Masterson (1-2) on Sunday afternoon (1:35 p.m., NESN).

Starting a six-game homestand (Cleveland, Seattle (2)) would normally be a good thing but considering the Red Sox are 1-10 in their last 11 games at Fenway, I guess it doesn't really matter where Boston plays right now: they will lose anywhere against anyone.

On a serious note, Red Sox PA announcer Carl Beane tragically passed away this afternoon in a car accident so the team is planning to honor him before tomorrow's game. In addition, former outfielder Tom Brunansky is also scheduled to appear (celebrating his AL East clinching catch in 1990).

UPDATE 5/10: Outfielder Daniel Nava was called up from Pawtucket today, he'll bat sixth and play left field. Reliever Justin Thomas was designated for assignment while reliever Clayton Mortensen was optioned to Pawtucket. The Red Sox also released pitcher John Maine who was toiling in the minors, trying to make a comeback to MLB.

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Red Sox Can't Protect 2-Run Lead In 8th, Fall To Hapless Royals

You have to hand it to the Red Sox: their ill-fated sense of timing these days is impeccable.

Right after millions of viewers had no doubt turned over from the Celtics' 1-point loss to the Hawks, Matt Albers served up a three-run homer to left field by Billy Butler (6th of the season) in the eighth inning only minutes later. Suddenly, Boston's (12-17, 8-7 away) 4-2 lead was erased and it was no surprise when they went down in order in the ninth as Kansas City (10-19, 3-13 home) emerged victorious 6-4 at Kauffman Stadium.

Boston has lost six of its last seven games, including two in extra innings.

Butler's swing was easily the most important play of the game. Red Sox starter Daniel Bard (2-4) went seven innings but he was charged with five earned runs on six hits with a strikeout and four walks.

Albers' gaffe meant that Royals starter Danny Duffy was off the hook. Duffy was terrible, lasting only 4.1 innings and allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits with a strikeout and five walks.

Boston scored twice in the second inning but it should have been a scary omen that Will Middlebrooks left in that frame with tightness in his left hamstring (the same thing that caused him to be scratched from Saturday's lineup). He had doubled, joining Hall of Famer Enos Slaughter as the only players since 1920 to have extra base hits in their first five MLB games. Kelly Shoppach had scored him with an RBI single while Dustin Pedroia (2 runs) walked with the bases loaded.

Bard had trouble with his command in the second as he was called for two balks. Eric Hosmer scored on one of them then Chris Getz and Humberto Quintero added RBI singles.

Pedroia tied it with an RBI single in the fourth and Adrian Gonzalez (2 for 3 with a double on his 30th birthday) temporarily put the Red Sox ahead 4-3 in the fifth on a throwing error by Getz.

Kelvin Herrera (who throws 100 mph) got five clean outs including two strikeouts, Jose Mijares (2-1) pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth with three strikeouts and Broxton (the former Dodgers closer) picked up his sixth save of the season on eight pitches.

Jon Lester (1-2) faces the legend Bruce Chen (0-4) in tomorrow night's series finale (8:10 p.m., NESN). I'm not going to make any bold statements about what it means if the Red Sox lose because it will probably happen anyway. What a worthless squad.

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