BOSTON — The Boston Red Sox lost 4-3 Tuesday night and most of the talk will be about another reliever (Clay Buchholz) losing a game or how Tampa Bay third baseman Evan Longoria continues to be a Red Sox killer, with another winning homer.

Oh, by the way, Drew Pomeranz deserves a mention. Maybe all you remember is Luke Maile’s improbable two-run homer off Pomeranz that tied the game in the seventh inning, or the run he allowed in the first.

But there is so much more.

After a rocky start when he was acquired from San Diego, Pomeranz has delivered in his last six starts: 362/3 innings, 11 earned runs.

Tuesday’s three earned runs were the most he’s allowed all month. And yet he got another no-decision.

There has not been a lot of offensive support in those last six starts; Pomeranz is 2-1 with three no-decisions.

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Red Sox fans can only hope that this “best offense in baseball” shows up on days Pomeranz pitches. He may not have ace-like qualities, but he has bolstered this rotation that carries a 3.16 ERA in August – second best in the American League to Kansas City.

“Drew’s addition has been a boost, particularly the run he is on of late,” Red Sox Manager John Farrell said.

“There has been a very tangible improvement with how many fastballs he has thrown for strikes – the quality and location.”

In Pomeranz’s first inning, he used mostly his fastball, with a few timely curves, and some bad luck.

With one out, Kevin Kiermaier doubled on a line drive to left field that could have been caught. The ball went off Brock Holt’s glove near the wall.

With Kiermaier on second, Longoria came to bat.

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Pomeranz located a 92 mph fastball down for a strike (0-1). He elevated a 92 mph heater for 1-1. Longoria chased a diving curveball (1-2) and took another high fastball. Pomeranz then froze Longoria for a called third strike on a curveball dropping over at the knees.

Brad Miller, however, followed with a ground-ball single, on an 0-2 curveball, that deflected off the glove of a diving Dustin Pedroia.

“After that I settled down pretty good,” Pomeranz said.

Pomeranz got Matt Duffy to ground out, using all fastballs. In the second inning, Pomeranz struck out three batters – all on fastballs.

“He is so well known for his breaking ball,” Farrell said.

“The fact that his fastball plays up a little bit more … when you get the opposition looking for one pitch and he’s in the strike zone with a good fastball with deception ….”

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Pomeranz would finish with eight strikeouts, including another one against Longoria, flailing at a curve.

While Pomeranz was dealing Tuesday, he was using a lot of pitches early. He was up to 39 after two innings. He commanded better, but was still at 83 after five innings. He pitched a 1-2-3 sixth inning, using eight pitches.

In the seventh, Pomeranz faced Maile with two outs and one runner on. Pomeranz had already struck out Maile twice, using mostly curveballs. In the seventh, Pomeranz was ahead of Maile 1-2, having thrown two curves and a cut fastball.

Pomeranz went to the curve one more time – one time too many.

Maile crushed it over the left-field wall to tie the game 3-3.

“It’s 1-2 and we got two outs. I’m thinking just bounce a curveball and we got this guy,” Pomeranz said. “And it stayed up too much, right into his bat.

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“This one’s on me. It’s a tough way to lose. I was pitching so well … I feel like I’ve done pretty well but there are certain points in the game I can improve on.”

Of Pomeranz’s 101 pitches, 55 were fastballs (33 strikes, five swing-and-miss), 31 curveballs (23 strikes, nine swing-and-miss) and 15 cutters (12 strikes, one swing and miss).

The cut fastball is new this year. “Having three pitches, I’m out there being a pitcher and not a thrower. Now I’m out there with a plan.”

The plan is working and is enough to win games. But Boston’s offense sputters at times and then there’s the bullpen …

Boston is 16-18 in one-run games.

Don’t blame the starting pitching.

 


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