Boston Red Sox pitching is far from a work of art so far in the 2023 MLB season. Their troubles on the mound showed up once again Tuesday night in Game 2 of their series at Fenway Park against the Pittsburgh Pirates, with Nick Pivetta struggling with his control.
Pivetta allowed two home runs to the Pirates and in the process completed an ignominious feat for the Red Sox that only one team over the past 100 years had done before them.
Via ESPN Stats & Info:
“With Nick Pivetta allowing 2 HR against the Pirates, each of the 5 Boston starters have allowed at least 2 HR through the first 5 games. They are the 2nd team since 1893 to have their starters allow at least 2 HR in their first five games of a season, joining the 1994 Rangers”
It actually looked like Pivetta was finally going to give the Red Sox a terrific performance on the mound when he started the game with a scoreless inning in the first frame in which he also struck out two Pirates hitters. But that brilliance did not last long, as he gave up a two-run homer in the second inning to Ji Hwan Bae and a solo blast to Bryan Reynolds. Pivetta would later be pulled from the game, as he saw his night end with six earned runs on three hits with three walks issued across 5.0 innings of duty on the mound.
The Red Sox have allowed 29 runs in four games prior to Tuesday's matchup against the Pirates. If it weren't for their hot offense, Boston would have been in a much worse shape than their 2-2 record suggested heading into this showdown.