The Boston Red Sox couldn't catch a break Sunday afternoon, falling 3-1 in 10 innings to the Houston Astros in a frustrating game defined by missed opportunities. The loss dropped Boston to 13-21 on the season, while Houston improved to 14-21 and took the three-game series 2-1.

The story of the day was the Red Sox offense's inability to deliver in clutch moments. Through the first nine innings, Boston went 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11 runners on base. By the time the final out was recorded, those numbers had ticked to 0 for 11 and 13 left on base—a recipe for disaster against any opponent.

The game unraveled in extra innings. In the top of the 10th, reliever Zack Kelly found himself in a bases-loaded, no-outs jam. He nearly escaped when Jose Altuve grounded into a 6-2-5 double play—catcher Carlos Narváez recorded the force-out at third after runner Isaac Paredes hesitated on contact. But the reprieve was short-lived. Kelly walked Brice Matthews to reload the bases, then surrendered a two-run single to Cam Smith that put Houston ahead 3-1.

Boston had its chance to answer in the bottom of the 10th, loading the bases with just one out. But Ceddanne Rafaela grounded into a game-ending 6-3 double play, sealing the Red Sox's fate.

There were bright spots, chief among them the performance of starter Ranger Suárez. The 30-year-old lefty tossed four scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and one walk while striking out three. He was removed after 70 pitches due to right hamstring tightness, but his work on the mound was stellar. Suárez lowered his ERA to 2.77 over seven starts and hasn't allowed a run in four of his past five outings, holding opponents to a .197 batting average. He entered Sunday coming off arguably the best start of his career—eight scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts against the Blue Jays.

Jarren Duran provided the game's only early fireworks, launching a 111.8 mph, 376-foot line-drive home run to right field in the fifth inning. It was his second home run in three games and gave Boston a 1-0 lead that felt fragile from the start.

In the ninth inning, the Red Sox tried to manufacture offense against flamethrower Aroldis Chapman. Christian Vazquez led off with a single up the middle, but pinch runner Yainer Diaz was thrown out at second on Daniel Johnson's bunt attempt. The gamble backfired, and Boston couldn't generate another threat.

For a team that prides itself on timely hitting, Sunday was a tough reminder that baseball's oldest cliché still holds true: you can't win if you don't score. With the division race heating up, the Red Sox will need to find ways to convert those scoring opportunities—or risk watching more winnable games slip away.