Red Sox getting plenty of chances with men on base, but production lacking

In 10 innings Sunday, the Red Sox stranded runners in every inning but the fourth. In four separate innings, they left multiple runners on base. The only run they managed came on a one-out solo homer from Jarren Duran in the fifth. Of the seven runs in the series, four came as a result of Duran homers.

“It’s hard,” said Willson Contreras. “We’re trying. We’re not being consistent at all, from Day One. We have to find a way to be more consistent and find a way to get better, for sure. I think it comes from within ourselves and putting our mind in a better spot and trying not to seek results, but work for it.

“This game is hard. Like, mentally hard, and if you fall into your own trap, it’s going to be tough to get out of there. I’m trying to keep my cool for the team. I’m trying to help in any way I can.”

Interestingly, when Contreras was asked if the team was perhaps pressing in the aftermath of the firings that took place last weekend, attempting to make the best of a fresh start, Contreras suggested something to the contrary.

“It’s different with Alex not here,” said Contreras. “But after Cora got fired, the guys got loose a little more because I feel like the tension was gone...That’s what I felt. That’s my own opinion. When Alex wasn’t in the dugout (anymore), the team was kinda like loose. But that doesn’t matter. We have to play better. We have to find consistency. We have to get better, we have to be better.”

The numbers suggest the team’s ineptitude is unrelated to the overhaul of the staff. They were bad when Cora was the manager, and in the last five games, the Red Sox are a putrid 4-for-39 (.102) with RISP.

Contreras said it probably doesn’t help that the lineup has a number of young players who don’t have much experience in dealing with slumps, and minutes later, Marcelo Mayer seemed to take exception to that explanation.

“To me, that’s just kind of an excuse: blame the young guys,” said Mayer. “But at the end of the day, we’re all playing baseball, we’re all pros. We all know what we need to do. I don’t think we’re doing a good job with runners in scoring position. When you don’t do that, you don’t score runs.

“We had a lot of opportunities. We want to win every series and that’s one we thought we should have had. A lot of runners left on base. Just not good overall.”

That, of course, is an understatement. Recognizing the problem isn’t difficult. Correcting it, as the Red Sox are demonstrating, feels almost impossible.

More Red Sox coverage

• Red Sox’ ‘Holy cow’ 10th inning ends in yet another loss
• Oddsmakers release new Red Sox futures: Can Boston defy the odds after Alex Cora’s firing?
• Red Sox reactions: Offense goes 0 for 11 with runners in scoring position, leaves 13 men on base in loss
• Ranger Suárez leaves Boston Red Sox start with injury Sunday
• Red Sox two-way prospect (SS/RHP) belts first two pro homers; Henry Godbout doubles twice

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