Wade Miley’s Debacle Highlights Red Sox Recent Pitching Woes

Apr 15, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Wade Miley delivers a pitch against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

Wade Miley took the mound Wednesday afternoon at Fenway Park as the Boston Red Sox looked to complete a three-game sweep of the Washington Nationals on Jackie Robinson Day. Miley showcased little command of his pitches and the Nationals hammered him all over the yard early on, earning an impressive 10-5 win.

Miley’s home debut was certainly a forgettable one. He lasted just 2 1/3 innings, allowing seven runs on five hits, while walking three.

Miley, Boston’s number-four starter, left a slew of pitches up in the zone and the Washington batters had themselves a field day, smacking four extra-base hits off him as his ERA climbed to 10.57. He was charged with the loss in what was the shortest start of his career.

In the first, Bryce Harper connected on an RBI double to give the Nationals a 1-0 lead. Ryan Zimmerman followed with a triple to right to make it 2-0. Miley worked his was through the second unscathed, but he then fell apart in the third.

In the third, Ian Desmond belted a solo homer. Wilson Ramos, Dan Uggla and Michael Taylor all smashed RBI doubles to knock Miley out of the contest. Washington’s lead ballooned to 8-2 and it was all they would need to secure the victory.

“Really, the whole outing wasn’t very good,” Miley said after the game. “I never established the strike zone. I got behind in a lot of counts. That’s what’s going to happen.”

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For the Red Sox, Hanley Ramirez connected on his fourth home run of the year in the fifth. It was a two-run shot over the Monster. Brock Holt added a ground-rule double in sixth. Mike Napoli came around to score Boston’s fifth and final run.

Miley’s debacle adds to what’s beginning to become quite the concerning trend for the Red Sox. He’s the third starter to come short of logging five innings in the last four starts for Boston. Justin Masterson was knocked from Tuesday’s game after the Nationals tagged him for six runs in the fifth. On Sunday, Clay Buchholz was annihilated by the Yankees, surrendering nine runs on nine hits over 3 1/3 innings of work.

Boston’s lack of pitching talent was pegged as their greatest weakness heading into the season. As the club moves through the rotation for the second time, such a notion is proving true. Joe Kelly, who dominated the Yankees this past Saturday, will look to thwart the trend on Thursday when he takes on the Orioles.