Red Sox Ace Makes Surprising Admission After Rough Start Vs. Tigers

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet

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Garrett Crochet is officially in a slump.

The Boston Red Sox ace endured another rough outing on Sunday, suffering his third loss in his last four starts. He allowed five runs on seven hits -- including two homers -- and two walks in five innings against the Detroit Tigers, causing his ERA to rise to 7.88 through five starts this season.

However, it wasn't all bad for Crochet. He permitted just one run through the first four innings before unraveling in the fifth. He also matched his season high with eight strikeouts.

Coming off the worst start of his career, it was a step in the right direction for the two-time All-Star, who gave a surprising assessment of his outing after the game.

"It sucks that that's the best I felt all year. Just inconsistent," Crochet said during his postgame press conference. "Tough to assess. Moving in the right direction for sure... It sucks that I feel like I am moving in the right direction, and I also happened to lose the game for us. But it is what it is, move on to the next one."

All of Crochet's five runs allowed came with two outs, making his struggles even more frustrating. He felt good physically and pitched better than his final line indicated, but it ultimately wasn't good enough for the Red Sox, who lost 6-2 to the Tigers.

Like Crochet said, all he can try to do is keep improving and put his disappointing start behind him. He has another tough matchup coming up against the Houston Astros, who already beat him earlier this month, so he'll need to make some adjustments if he wants to have more success this time around.

More MLB: Garrett Crochet's Redemption Bid Takes Shocking Turn Vs. Tigers