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The Boston Red Sox Thursday, May 13, 2021 * The Boston Globe Red Sox offense sputters again vs. Oakland in matchup of division leaders, losing skid now three games Alex Speier For so much of the season’s first five weeks, the Red Sox offense seemed imbalanced but nearly slump- proof. While the team got next to nothing from the bottom of the order, the second through fifth spots in the lineup — occupied by Alex Verdugo, J.D. Martinez, Xander Bogaerts, and Rafael Devers — represented an often insurmountable obstacle for opposing pitchers. Yet as the Red Sox zoomed to the top of the standings, an unasked question loomed beneath the surface: What might happen if the Fearsome Foursome faltered? Now, the question has been asked — and the Sox have found the answer disconcerting. On Wednesday night, with the heart of the order failing to capitalize on tantalizing opportunities, the Red Sox continued their offensive skid in a 4-1 loss to the A’s at Fenway. The Sox have lost three straight, totaling four runs in those contests. The team’s Core Four is 7-for-41 with a .171/.244/.293 line and three extra-base hits during those contests, while the team as a whole is hitting .141/.198/.239 with 32 strikeouts in 101 plate appearances over the three-game rut. “Obviously we’re just going through a rough stretch right now,” Bogaerts said. “We’re in a slump right now as a team.” The Sox had an opportunity to escape their slide almost from the first pitch of the game against A’s rookie James Kaprielian, who appeared jittery at the outset of his first big league start.
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