BOSTON — Lucas Giolito became just the second Red Sox starter in the past eight games to make it through five innings.
The 30-year-old righty hurled 7 scoreless innings and allowed just six hits and two walks while striking out six in Game 2 of Saturday’s doubleheader. But Boston’s offense stalled and the Red Sox lost 2-1 to the Orioles here at Fenway Park.
The two teams split. The Red Sox (27-27) won the first game 6-5 in 10 innings on Rafael Devers’ fifth career walkoff RBI.
The failure by Red Sox starting pitchers to go deep into games has left the bullpen overworked. The Red Sox used eight different relievers Saturday. Brennan Bernardino, who recorded two outs in Game 2, has pitched in six of nine games on the homestand. He has pitched 12 times since May 3.
“The starters have been going short and we have to be aggressive with the bullpen,” manager Alex Cora said. “We’re going to feel it for a few days but today we needed that (from Giolito). There’s going to be guys down for a few days. We might need to make decisions based on the roster on what we need not only tomorrow but in the upcoming days. But that’s the nature of the business. It sucks but it’s a reality of it.”
The Red Sox made one of those tough decisions between Games 1 and 2. They designated veteran lefty Sean Newcomb, a Massachusetts native, for assignment and recalled hard-throwing righty Luis Guerrero to take his spot.
Newcomb posted a 3.95 ERA in 12 outings (five starts) for Boston. But he pitched a lot the past week, forcing the Red Sox to cut him in favor of a fresh arm.
The 31-year-old pitched 4 ⅔ innings last Sunday against Atlanta after Brayan Bello failed to make it out of the fifth inning. He returned Wednesday to throw two innings in a loss to the Mets after the Red Sox let Garrett Crochet throw only 85 pitches. It was a predetermined shorter outing for Crochet that the Red Sox mapped out a week before.
Newcomb then pitched again here in Game 1 of the doubleheader, tossing an inning in relief of Hunter Dobbins.
“Today he pitched in Game 1 and we had to make a decision,” Cora said. “We’ll see where we’re at.”
Cora said Newcomb helped the Red Sox “win a few games.”
“If you go back to that Bello start against Atlanta, it didn’t go our way but he finished the game and then we won two against the Mets,” Cora said. “He came in today in a tough spot, gave us some pitches and we ended up winning the game. So he did a good job for us. We’ll see what the future holds.”
Zack Kelly and Nick Burdi are the only two healthy 40-man roster pitchers at Triple-A Worcester. Burdi isn’t eligible to be recalled right now because he was just optioned to Worcester on May 20. A pitcher must remain in the minors for 15 days after being optioned unless he’s replacing someone injured or being used as a team’s 27th man for a doubleheader.
Righty Cooper Criswell served as Boston’s 27th man in Saturday’s doubleheader. He will return to Worcester. Like Burdi, he’s not eligible unless someone gets injured because Boston optioned him May 15.
Guerrero replaced Bernardino with two outs in the eighth and a runner at first base in the second game after being recalled between games. He walked Adley Rutschman, then gave up an RBI single to Ryan O’Hearn that made it 1-0 Orioles.
Guerrero also allowed a run in the ninth inning on two walks and Dylan Carson’s RBI single.
“A little frustrating,” Cora said about Guerrero allowing three walks. “We don’t like that. So we’ll keep working with him. He’s been throwing a lot of strikes whenever he comes here. And today he was a little bit erratic. Probably a different day as far as routine and everything. But at the end of the day, he’s a good pitcher. We know he can do it at this level. Just didn’t happen today.”
