Where Has All The Offense Gone?

The Red Sox offense continues to struggle, big time.

On a cold night in Chicago, Jake Peavy was terrific for six innings, just allowing an Adam Dunn home run. He was matched with somebody named Erik Johnson, who was even better, going seven innings and allowing just a Daniel Nava home run.

The Red Sox could get just three hits, and the few opportunities they had, they wasted yet again. 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position. (Last I looked they were hitting less than .200 as team in RISP situations.) Right now, getting anyone home with a man on second or third is like pulling teeth.

Xander Bogaerts had probably the worst night of his career, striking out three times (including one with second and third and two outs), and bounced a grounder to first that allowed the winning run to score in the ninth for Chicago.

Another one of those nights that makes me want to bang my head against the wall. Especially when not one but two umps blow a check-swing call on the last batter that should have ended the ninth inning.

And Mike Napoli dislocated his ring finger on his left hand sliding into second in the ninth inning. Brutal to watch, but fortunately, nothing was broken and he is day-to-day.

Just what the Red Sox need: more injuries.

They are now 5-9, and have lost 8 of their last 11. The road trip has been especially brutal, with just 12 runs scores in 5 games, and they are hitting .183 in those games.

The pitching continues to be rather good, both in the pen and rotation. In only 3 of those games were the starters hit hard, and the other games were close, winnable games.

Obviously, things will change when the offense starts to click.

Let's just hope it is sooner rather than later.