BOSTON — Chris Sale took all the blame.

Boston’s ace is 1-2, following a Thursday night loss to the Yankees, and Sale said it was his fault.

“I know what I can do and I just got to be better there,” Sale said.

Did we mention that Sale’s teammates scored zero runs? They totaled three singles and did not get a runner past second base in a 3-0 loss.

Darn that Sale.

“On a night, where we’re once again scuffling to score some runs, we come up on the short end,” Red Sox Manager John Farrell said.

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As for his thoughts on Sale?

“Similar to the previous four starts he made,” Farrell said. “Powerful. A lot of swing and miss. Very efficient.”

But for all that, Chris Sale has as many wins as Brian Johnson, who made only one start.

In Johnson’s start on April 18, the Red Sox scored six runs while Johnson was still pitching.

In Sale’s five starts – 372/3 innings – while he has still been pitching, the Red Sox have scored a total of four runs.

Is Sale wondering where that relentless lineup is, the one Boston loves to boast about?

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“The only frustration would be toward myself,” Sale said. “Flat-out got to be better than that in the last inning.”

Going into the last inning, New York led on an unearned run in the fourth; unearned because of a passed ball charged to catcher Sandy Leon – a mistake that Sale said was his fault (throwing a slider when Leon called for another pitch).

In the ninth, Sale gave up back-to-back ground-ball singles. Matt Holliday, who had three quality at-bats against Sale, was coming up. Farrell stayed with Sale.

“Felt he’s earning the right to continue on in the ninth,” said Farrell, who was hoping for a double play.

It was a mistake. Holliday singled in a run, ending Sale’s night.

Of course, Sale believed he should be pitching in the ninth.

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“I felt great. I wanted it bad,” Sale said. “I didn’t want to say anything but I wanted to go out there. … But you can’t go out there and want the ninth inning, and go out there and do that. That’s just unacceptable.

“We had a chance in the ninth and I just completely took the wind out of our sails there.”

Actually, the wind had died a while ago.

This Red Sox team cannot score right now. Oh, they usually get on base – except against Yankees pitching. Heading into Thursday, Boston led the American League in average and on-base percentage.

But out of 15 American League teams, Boston ranks 13th in runs scored (78 runs in 21 games). The only teams behind the Red Sox are Toronto and Kansas City, which have the two worst records in baseball.

Boston has only 11 home runs, last in the major leagues.

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Surely, this is not just about David Ortiz’s retiring. Sure, no one can fill the big man’s shoes, but who figured the rest of the team would deflate so badly?

“I don’t want to say that this is what our club is,” Farrell said. “We’ve had ballgames where this lineup has produced. It has put together big innings.”

What is amazing is that Boston is not in worse shape. The Red Sox are 11-10.

But they just wasted starts by Sale and Rick Porcello. Now the Red Sox welcome the defending champion Cubs this weekend, hoping Drew Pomeranz, Steven Wright and Eduardo Rodriguez can hold down Chicago.

But how sensational must the pitching be?

Sale could have pitched a 1-2-3 ninth and still lost 1-0.

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Even with the two runs, Sale has a 1.19 ERA – and one win to show for it.

While Sale is tough on himself, his teammates know they have a special pitcher on their side.

“Dominance,” center fielder Jackie Bradley said. “He has conviction. He gets the ball and throws it.”

Sale has conviction, all right. He could use a little support.

Kevin Thomas can be reached at 791-6411 or:

kthomas@pressherald.com

Twitter: ClearTheBases


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