Gray looks to reset in 2nd half after fourth straight loss

BOSTON — Jon Gray was cruising via the primary half of the season and was one of many American League’s strongest starters via his first 12 outings.

Then got here a blister in mid-June that pressured a missed begin. Ever since, issues appear a bit off monitor for the Rangers’ right-hander, who picked up a fourth straight loss at Fenway Park on Wednesday night time, 4-2vs. the Crimson Sox.

“I competed very well,” Grey mentioned after going six innings, permitting 4 runs (three earned), three walks and 9 hits, most of the lighter selection. “I obtained a variety of comfortable contact, damaged bats. Nothing wished to go our means … it was tough.”

Boston middle fielder Jarren Duran led off the underside of the primary inning with a single, stole second, then got here round to attain on a Justin Turner single with one out. A couple of batters later, with two outs and two on, Adam Duvall flailed at a Grey slider low and away and flared it into middle subject, dropping it between three gamers to attain one other run.

“I believed he had good things tonight, however some infield hits, the bloop hit within the first, that hurts,” mentioned supervisor Bruce Bochy. “He makes a fairly good pitch there, Duvall simply obtained sufficient of it to have it fall in. Total, I believed it was effort.”

In his first 12 begins this yr, Grey was sensational, going 6-2 with a 2.32 ERA and 63 strikeouts. In his 4 outings since skipping a begin, he’s 0-3 with a 6.98 ERA and simply 12 strikeouts. In Wednesday night time’s sport, the Texas hurler managed to solely get two Boston batters out by means of the strikeout.

“I’m a strikeout pitcher and I didn’t strike anybody out,” mentioned Grey. “Perhaps two guys. [My] stuff is just not sharp proper now. I don’t be ok with the way in which I’m throwing it, however I be ok with the way in which I’m competing. I believed I used to be ok to win. Hoping which means good luck is coming.”

The Sox would put up a run in every of the fifth and sixth innings, with the final being unearned after it snuck below the gloves of Nathaniel Lowe at first and Adolis García in proper.

The Rangers did get a two-run homer from García, his twenty second of the yr, sandwiched in between these Boston runs. In any other case, Texas struggled to generate offense, going 1-for-7 with runners in scoring place, lacking a first-rate likelihood within the first inning when it failed to attain with runners on second and third and just one out.

“We couldn’t get that yet another hit simply to maintain issues transferring,” mentioned Bochy. “Jonny threw OK.”

“We simply fell behind on a few guys and so they obtained some large hits with runners on,” mentioned catcher Jonah Heim. “We didn’t. That’s the story of at present. I believed Jon carried out very well, made some good high quality pitches and saved it shut for us to present us an opportunity.”

Grey’s backstop was fast to tug the optimistic of his starter’s day to mild, although Grey could also be trying elsewhere following his last begin earlier than the All-Star break.

“Simply not take into consideration baseball for a number of days,” Grey solemnly expressed. “This sport, it’s a tricky one.”