The inspiring stories of Rich Hill and Otto Kemp
PHILADELPHIA - "What does it take to be No. 1? Two is not a winner and three nobody remembers. What does it take to be No. 1?"
Most of the Red Sox had boarded their bus by the time Nelly blared these lyrics Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park, helping the hometown teams punctuate a night that had already seen their Phillies beat the Sox for a second straight night.
It was just a postgame concert. It was just one game. It was just another example of how good some big league pitchers can be. But the Red Sox would have been wise to pop their heads out and let the lyrics from the three-time Grammy Award-winning artist wash over them.
It's one thing to be in the postseason conversation, which the Red Sox have managed to be. It's another to drive that discourse. Thanks in large part to the pitching prowess of starters Zack Wheeler and Cristopher Sanchez - who turned in a complete game in the Phils' 4-1 victory Tuesday night - Philadelphia continues to live among MLB's elite.
The Red Sox? They were reminded that Nelly's question needs to be answered: "What does it take to be No. 1?"
"Two of the best pitchers in the big leagues," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said after Sanchez's 12-strikeout, four-hit outing. "That’s the reason they’re good. If we want to play in October, we have to find a way to hit those guys."
The immediate feeling regarding what the Red Sox have presented since the All-Star break is uneasiness, particularly when it comes to the team's sudden inability to score runs.
In four of the Sox's five games since coming back, they have managed two or fewer runs. And take away a four-run eighth inning Sunday in Chicago, and that would be 5-for-5.
There is no doubt the results have been a product of the opponents' pitching, particularly in Philadelphia, where the Sox have gone up against the kind of pitchers teams are desperately trying to uncover for any sort of October run. The Phillies have run out their version of Garrett Crochet, but managed to do so on back-to-back nights.
But if the Red Sox do land where they want to in October, this is going to be their reality. For some of the feel-good stories up and down Alex Cora's lineup, this has been a pretty decent wake-up call.
The answers to this bell so far, however, haven't been what the Red Sox were banking on.
In the five games, the Red Sox have struck out 55 times, most in the majors. They are hitting .194 with just 10 runs. Other than Detroit, that's the worst in the big leagues. Roman Anthony has struck out in 12 of his 19 at-bats, with Carlos Narvaez and Romy Gonzalez fanning eight times in their respective 13 at-bats.
"Good pitching," Cora said of Anthony. "He’ll be OK."
It was the Red Sox welcome to postseason baseball in July.
It's also why Craig Breslow's priority is to uncover some more pitching that can go toe-to-toe with the kind of elite arms Philly has thrown the Red Sox way.
Pitching for the first time in 15 days, starter Richard Fitts weathered an early storm to keep the visitors hanging around until relievers Brennan Bernardino, Chris Murphy, and Greg Weissert came on and tossed 4 2/3 shutout innings. But such hiccups aren't an option when facing guys like Sanchez, which the Sox found out the hard way.
Thanks in large part to a 10-game win streak, the Red Sox are still considered a postseason candidate, sitting 1/2-game up on Tampa Bay for the final Wild Card spot. But good vibes and wins over the likes of Colorado and Washington will only take you so far.
If the Red Sox want to live the life of a contender they will have to do better against teams, and pitchers, like these. Otherwise, they will be left with that reminder from Nelly: "Two is not a winner and three nobody remembers."
What does it take to be No. 1? Indeed.