A Western road trip to open the Red Sox second half of the season was just what the doctor did not order. Tuesday night’s 7-3 loss to Houston made it 6 losses in a row and 7 out of 8. Their record of 42-52 was the American League’s worst. The were now 10 behind the Yankees. No matter what Ben Cherington might say, they are now playing for next year.
One ray of hope, however, was the performance of Brian Johnson. In his first major league appearance, he took a 3-1 lead into the fifth inning.