BOSTON — Just as he did in the playoffs against the same team last October, Connelly Early managed to keep his team in the game Monday night.
It wasn’t his fault that, again, his team couldn’t provide much in the way of offensive backing.
The rookie lefty, who took the loss in the Red Sox’ elimination game at Yankee Stadium in the wild card round last fall, limited the Yankees to a single run over five innings. But he lost command in the sixth, allowing two more runs, as the Yankees cruised to a 4-0 win Tuesday night.
“He did good until he lost it there (in the sixth),” said Alex Cora of Early. “Command was an issue in that (last) inning. But the outing, besides that, was a good one. Really good. (He had) a good changeup, moved the ball around again. Got the ground ball when he needed it. We’ll just keep working with him.”
It marked the first time in nine regular season major league starts, dating back to the final month of last year, in which Early allowed more than two earned runs in a game. In each of the first eight, he had allowed two runs or fewer, including his first four outings this season.
Early was tagged for a mammoth solo homer in the second by Giancarlo Stanton, but otherwise limited damage until the sixth. He wiggled out of a two-on, one-out jam following Stanton’s shot, and retired nine of the next 11 hitters he faced.
But in the sixth, with the Yankees clinging to a 1-0 lead, the lefty walked Ahmed Rosasio on four pitches and after ahead of Aaron Judge 0-and-2, walked him, too. He then fanned Ben Rice before yielding a wall-scraping two-run double to Stanton. Following a free pass for Cody Bellinger, his third walk of the inning, Early was lifted.
“The sixth inning was the only thing I wish I could go back and do a better job of,” said Early. “I just beat myself there. Honestly, that whole inning — too many walks. All my walks came in that inning, so definitely not a recipe for success."
The Red Sox offense, which broke out somewhat Monday, had otherwise scored one run or no runs in four of its last seven games. But Early said the Boston lineup’s struggles didn’t impact him on the mound.
“I know the offense is handling their job,” offered Early, “so I’m just going out there and making my pitches.”
Even with the loss, Early now owns the fourth lowest ERA (2.64) through the first nine games of his career since 1950. The only Red Sox pitchers to better that mark: Tanner Houck (1.62, 2020-21), Lynn McGlothen (2.54 in 1972) and Mike Nagy (2.45 in 1969).
Red Sox calling up pitcher straight from Double-A in latest round of roster moves
Red Sox veteran: ‘We have to own it. We have to find a way to get better’
Red Sox’ Kutter Crawford details latest injury setback: ‘Currently, I’m shut down’
Red Sox reactions: Boston manages just 4 hits in shutout loss to Yankees, drops to 9-14
Will Red Sox call up Payton Tolle with Sonny Gray out? ‘There’s a pretty good likelihood’
Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here.