First, the disclaimer: When your starting pitcher retires just one batter and the visiting team has a five-run head start before anyone in the home lineup even sees a pitch, there are more relevant frustrations when it’s over than the opportunities your offense missed on the road to defeat.
Starting pitcher Hector Velazquez, who was gone before he could record a second out, left the Red Sox in a ditch in the first inning of their 7-3 loss to the Astros Saturday night. He didn’t give the Red Sox a chance against a potent Houston team that won its 10th straight game, and second in a row over the Sox at Fenway.