The evolution of a breakout season with Tanner Houck
Alex Cora proclaimed during his weekly appearance on the 'Jones and Mego Show' Thursday afternoon that he was confident the Red Sox would be able to stay in the race because of their pitching.
But a few hours later, Cora and Co. were once again reminded hitting needs to be a part of the equation at some point.
For the second time in the last three home games, the Red Sox found themselves without a hit in the seventh inning. This time it was Detroit starter Jack Flaherty who held the Sox hitless through 6 1/3 frames, paving the way to the Tigers' 5-0 win at Fenway Park.
While Rob Refsnyder's one-out single in the seventh ruined Flaherty's no-hit bid, it did nothing to prevent the Red Sox from falling under .500.
Cora's proclamation regarding the Sox' pitching did, for the most part, hold true to form, with Nick Pivetta tying Roger Clemens' team record by fanning eight batters starting with one out in the eighth inning. And it wasn't until Akil Baddoo's leadoff homer in the fifth that the Sox starter allowed a hit.
"Nick’s a stud, man. He came out, he shoved, did his thing," Flaherty said.
But even with Pivetta only giving up a pair of runs in 5 1/3 innings, the Sox didn't have a chance thanks to their continued offensive struggles at home.
That was in large part to Flaherty, a pitcher who has revitalized his career with the Tigers after signing a one-year, $14 million deal this past offseason. The righty struck out nine for a third straight outing, while giving up two or fewer earned runs in five of his six road appearances.
For his former high school teammate at Harvard-Westlake (CA), Red Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito, this version of Flaherty was a blast from the past.
"I tune into his outings throughout the year and obviously today, fastball command, pinpoint. Slider is working. It's the best I have seen him in a long time," said Giolito, who was two years ahead of Flaherty in high school. "After dealing with some injuries, I know he feels healthy and his stuff is playing big-time."
In the Sox' 12 home games since May 2, they have managed more than three runs just three times. Over that span, the Red Sox have totaled the seventh-fewest runs in baseball.
It marked the second time this season the Sox have been held to as few as two hits, having managed just a pair in an April 9 loss to the Orioles. It was the fifth time Cora's club has been shutout.
Note: The Red Sox still haven't been no-hit at home since July 20, 1958 when Jim Bunning went the distance against a lineup that included Ted Williams.