The Red Sox hoped to put the late inning debacle in the rear view mirror yesterday when they faced off against the Mariners once again. The Sox had Rick Porcello on the mound who has probably been the most consistent pitcher for the Sox vs. Hisashi Iwakuma for the Mariners.  Porcello got bit by giving up the long ball and the Sox offense couldn’t get anything going against Iwakuma.  The Sox weren’t able to score a run until the 9th inning and by then it was too little, too late.  If the season were to end today the Sox wouldn’t be in line for a wild card spot for the first time since sometime in April.

The Mariners got on the board early when Nelson Cruz hit a solo home run against Porcello in the 2nd.  Sox 0-1.  Even though the Sox were trailing there was a bright spot in the top of the 3rd when Andrew Benintendi got his first major league hit of his career with a single to left.  It was adorably sweet seeing his family up in the standing cheering like mad.  It is the first hit, of many in his career.  Unfortunately the rest of the offense couldn’t bring him home and he was stranded on the bases.   Porcello didn’t give up another run until the 6th inning when he gave up a solo home run to Zunino.  Sox 0-2.  Porcello followed that up with another solo home run in the 7th to Lind.  Sox 0-3.  Porcello pitched well and was able to go the distance, but not being able to keep the ball in the yard would give him his first loss in a long, long time.   Porcello’s pitching line for the complete game was 112 pitches, 8 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 1 BB and 8 Ks.  The Sox finally did get on the scoreboard in the top of the 9th, but it didn’t make much of a difference.  Travis Shaw hit an RBI groundout to score Jackie Bradley Jr. from third.  Sox 1-3.  In a night with both Pedey and Hanley out of the lineup, there just wasn’t enough power in the lineup to get the win.

Red Sox 1  Mariners 3  BOXSCORE

WP: Iwakuma (12-7)  LP: Porcello (14-3)  SV: Diaz (2)