BOSTON - The Boston Red Sox encountered another setback on Sunday, as starting pitcher Ranger Suárez departed their game against the Houston Astros after four innings due to right hamstring tightness. The incident adds to a growing list of concerns for the team's pitching staff.
Suárez's outing was cut short after four scoreless innings, during which he allowed three hits, struck out three, and walked one batter. The discomfort prompted his removal, leaving the Red Sox to rely on their bullpen earlier than anticipated in a game that ultimately went into extra innings.
The Astros secured a 3-1 victory in ten innings, taking the series from Boston. The deciding hit came in the 10th when Cam Smith delivered a two-out, two-run single. The Red Sox managed only one run, a solo homer by Jarren Duran in the fifth inning.
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This latest injury to Suárez comes on the heels of a strong performance in his previous start, where he threw eight scoreless innings against the Blue Jays, striking out ten batters. His effectiveness in that outing had seemingly put to rest concerns from an earlier stint on the injured list for mid-back inflammation on April 13. Prior to Sunday's exit, Suárez had a 2-2 record with a 3.09 ERA over 35 innings pitched this season, having allowed no runs in four of his last five starts.
The Red Sox's offensive struggles were also evident, as they left 11 runners on base through the first nine innings, going 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position before eventually losing the game. This mirrors recent patterns of difficulty in capitalizing on scoring opportunities.
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Meanwhile, Astros starter Cody Bolton, making his first start since his own stint on the injured list for mid-back inflammation, pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings. Both teams' bullpens shouldered a significant workload due to the shortened starts.
The loss marks another difficult moment for the Red Sox, whose season has been described as "miserable" by some reports, with pitching injuries continuing to present a considerable challenge.
