Sale pulled from Game 2 after allowing 5 runs in 1st inning
Chris Sale's return to the playoffs was a brief one.
The Tampa Bay Rays roughed up the Boston Red Sox ace in Game 2 of the ALDS, with Sale allowing five earned runs in what ended up being his only inning of work.
Tanner Houck replaced Sale on the mound in the bottom of the second with the Red Sox trailing 5-2.
After taking the mound with a 2-0 lead, Randy Arozarena and Wander Franco hit Sale's first two pitches for singles. Three batters later, Yandy Diaz got the Rays on the board with a bases-loaded single. Jordan Luplow then sent Tropicana Field into a frenzy, ripping a grand slam off the seven-time All-Star.
JORDAN 4s.
— MLB (@MLB) October 8, 2021
Luplow with a 1st-inning slam! pic.twitter.com/D02cuVGy0I
Sale ended up throwing 30 pitches in the inning, striking out two batters while also walking one and allowing four hits alongside Tampa Bay's five earned runs.
The 32-year-old is the 22nd pitcher in postseason history to allow five earned runs in a start of no more than one inning, according to the Boston Globe's Alex Speier. He's the club's fourth starter to accomplish the dubious feat.
The Red Sox are the first team in postseason history to have their starting pitcher go fewer than 2 innings in each of the first 2 games of a series.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 9, 2021
Eduardo Rodriguez went 1 2/3 IP in Game 1 and Chris Sale went 1 IP in Game 2. pic.twitter.com/UDkKcSqjx2
Sale, a two-time strikeout champion, made nine regular-season starts after returning from Tommy John surgery in August. Though he posted a 3.16 ERA over that span, he also struggled down the stretch. Friday's outing comes five days after he lasted just 2 1/3 innings in Boston's final regular-season contest.