Red Sox Waste Their Chances in Texas — And October Is Getting Uncomfortably Close

The Boston Red Sox are 82–69.

They currently sit 9½ games behind Tampa Bay in the AL East, but more importantly, Boston still holds the second American League Wild Card position, 5½ games ahead of Cleveland with only 11 games remaining.

So no, the season isn’t collapsing.

But Tuesday night’s 4–2 loss to the Texas Rangers was exactly the kind of game that makes you start staring suspiciously at October.

Because we’ve seen this movie before.

Patrick Sandoval struck out the first four Rangers he faced.

Fantastic.

Then apparently somebody reminded him this was a Red Sox game.

Texas scored four runs in the second inning, highlighted by an Elias Díaz two-run double and Corey Seager’s two-run single — technically a popup that Trevor Story nearly caught before it tipped off his glove.

Sandoval was finished after only 2⅔ innings, allowing all four Texas runs while walking two and striking out five.

The bullpen?

Basically perfect.

Boston relievers shut Texas out for the remaining 5⅓ innings.

Which makes the loss even more annoying.

The pitching staff essentially said, “Okay offense, we’ve cleaned up the crime scene. Now just score three runs.”

The offense responded by putting on oven mitts.

Nick Sogard provided Boston’s entire offense with a two-run homer in the third inning.

That’s it.

Two runs.

Thanks for coming.

Meanwhile Jacob deGrom struck out eight over five innings, but this wasn’t exactly 1999 Pedro Martinez throwing baseballs through concrete walls. DeGrom needed 92 pitches to get through five innings, meaning Boston had opportunities.

And that’s what makes this game frustrating.

The Red Sox didn’t get dominated.

They got opportunities…

…and then repeatedly drove those opportunities directly into a telephone pole.

Boston loaded the bases in the fifth inning without recording a hit.

Hit batter.

Catcher’s interference.

Walk.

This was…