BOSTON -- Twice in less than 24 hours, the Giants coughed up early leads to the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Sunday’s series finale brought with it not just a sweep and a fourth consecutive loss, but injuries to two of the top three hitters in the lineup.
Shortstop Willy Adames and left fielder Victor Bericoto exited in the fifth inning of a 5-4 loss after separate incidents. Both said they will get MRIs on Monday. Adames said team medical personnel told him his injury could be an elbow strain, but that’s not an official diagnosis.
“Hopefully, it’s nothing crazy,” Adames said. “We’ll see what’s up.”
Bericoto said through interpreter Erwin Higueros that he believed he avoided a major injury.
Adames slid awkwardly into home while scoring a run in the top of the first inning. He looked visibly uncomfortable jogging back to the dugout, and after striking out in the top of the fifth, he was replaced in the lineup by Buddy Kennedy. Christian Koss shifted from third base to shortstop while Kennedy played third.
The team later announced Adames had departed with an unspecified left elbow injury.
“That kind of year,” he said. “It’s crazy.”
In the bottom of the fifth, Bericoto chased a fly ball toward the left-field wall with two outs. Under a group of fans reaching for the ball, Bericoto turned to avoid getting hit in the face by the ball, causing him to twist his right knee. Bericoto went down and stayed on the ground for a few minutes before walking off the field under his own power -- albeit gingerly. The Giants were awarded the inning-ending out for fan interference.
Drew Gilbert replaced Bericoto to lead off the sixth.
Bericoto was still “a little sore” after the game.
“I thought I had damaged my knee really bad, because I felt pain really bad,” he said.
The Giants plated two in the first and another in the second to build an early cushion before a crowd of 36,278. Just like the night before, it did not last.
Rafael Devers walked, advanced to third on Adames’ long single off the Green Monster and scored on a single from Bryce Eldridge. Adames then scored on a single from Bericoto.
Rookie Jonah Cox homered to lead off the second, snapping a string of nine consecutive strikeouts. Cox’s second career long ball was his first off a pitcher. His first came on June 5 off Cubs position player Carson Kelly.
“We have a lot of good coaches that kept me sane through that stretch,” Cox said. “Just taking it a day at a time.”
The Red Sox countered with one run in the second and third innings and a three-run fourth to transform the deficit into a final lead.
Nick Sogard homered off Giants starter Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson to lead off the bottom of the second. Jahmai Jones led off the third with a triple and scored on a Ceddanne Rafaela single to tie the game. In the fourth, Sogard swatted a double and scored on Connor Wong’s double off the Green Monster. Initially ruled a catch, the call was overturned after a Red Sox challenge. Wilkinson departed immediately after.
“In my head, [the outing] wasn’t very good,” Wilkinson said. “Threw strikes, but almost too many. … There’s a lot of work to do.”
Reliever JT Brubaker’s first pitch to pinch-hitter Mickey Gasper went down the right-field line to score Wong. Rafaela followed with another run-scoring single.
That was enough to send the Giants back to San Francisco on a sour note, though manager Tony Vitello said his team played “gutty” throughout the weekend.
“Maybe do a couple things different, and you come out of here with a win,” he said. “In a position all three games to do something.”