Morning Sports Update
“It was a low IQ baseball play for sure.”
Red Sox answer for mistakes: The Red Sox came out on the losing end of a 10-7 thriller over 11 innings against the Guardians on Tuesday night.
Boston rallied from a 5-1 deficit to take a 6-5 lead in the sixth inning, but couldn’t hold on as closer Kenley Jansen blew his first save of the season in the ninth.
“At the end of the day, I got to take this one and be accountable about it,” Jansen told reporters afterward per the Boston Globe’s Julian McWilliams.
It was a night of ups and downs for multiple Red Sox players. Rafael Devers put Boston ahead with his two-run double as part of the sixth inning rally, but later left the game with left knee discomfort.
Wilyer Abreu recorded the 20th Red Sox error of the season as part of Cleveland’s three-run fifth inning, but eventually made (yet another) amazing catch in right field to help preserve a 6-6 tie in the ninth.
And Triston Casas, who later homered for the third time in four games, also ran into an out on the base paths in the second inning.
Cleveland pitcher Tanner Bibee picked off Casas as he left second base a little too early following his lead-off double.
Following the loss, Casas—like Jansen—took responsibility. He explained that he was trying to reach third to help Abreu’s at-bat.
“I thought if I could get him in a situation where he just had to put the ball in play, that would be his best chance to get an RBI and get me in,” Casas told MassLive’s Christopher Smith. “But overall, based off situation and where we were in the game, it was very poor judgment and it was a low IQ baseball play for sure.”
“It shouldn’t have happened,” said Casas of the mental mistake. “It’s unacceptable for that to have happened the way it did. It’s a learning experience for sure. Can’t happen again but not the right play based off the situation of where we were in the game.”
Trivia: Since 2000, three different Red Sox players have had the unfortunate distinction of leading the American League in errors. Can you name them?
(Answer at the bottom).
Hint: One did it in 2002, the second in 2005, and the third has done it three times since 2018.
Scores and schedules:
As referenced above, the Red Sox lost to the Guardians 10-7 in 11 innings in a wild game on Tuesday night. Boston will host Cleveland in the third game of a four-game series tonight at 7:10 p.m.
The Celtics won’t know their opening round playoff opponent until the NBA play-in tournament concludes on Friday. Boston will then begin the playoffs at TD Garden on Sunday at 1 p.m.
The Bruins lost 3-1 to the Senators in the regular season finale on Tuesday. Boston will face the Maple Leafs in the first round of the playoffs.
More from Boston.com:
Picking between the quarterbacks: NFL Network’s Peter Schrager discussed how he sees the early picks playing out in the upcoming draft following the release of his recent mock draft.
An incredible comeback, but still no playoffs: The Red Wings, needing not just a win but some help (a Capitals loss) in order to make the playoffs, pulled a last-second comeback for the second game in a row against the Canadiens. Detroit capped the miracle by winning in a shootout.
Unfortunately for Red Wings fans, it didn’t result in a playoff berth, as the Capitals beat the Flyers 2-1.
On this day: In 1968, the Celtics continued to climb out of a 3-1 series deficit in the Eastern Division Finals, defeating the 76ers 114-106 in Game 6. Bill Russell, as player-coach, scored 17 points with five assists. Most importantly, he out-rebounded Wilt Chamberlain 31-27. John Havlicek led the Celtics with 28 points, adding 10 rebounds and six assists.
In Game 7, Boston completed the comeback with a 100-96 win. In the finals, Russell became the first Black head coach to win a championship in the NBA as the Celtics defeated the Lakers in six games.
Daily highlight: Rhode Island FC, a newly-established USL Championship team, lost on penalty kicks to Charlotte Independence in its first ever U.S. Open Cup game on Tuesday. Before the agony of penalty kicks, however, the two teams played a 4-4 draw that included a stunning goal from Clay Holstad.
Trivia answer: Nomar Garciaparra, Édgar Rentería, and Rafael Devers
Sign up for Red Sox updates⚾
Get breaking news and analysis delivered to your inbox during baseball season.