CHICAGO — Manager Clint Hurdle on Friday defended his outfielders’ defense in their 4-3 loss to the Boston Red Sox Thursday, saying the mistakes were due in large part to their unfamiliarity with the outfield orientation at Fenway Park.
In the critical eighth inning, when the Pirates swung from a 3-1 lead to a 4-3 deficit, Marte let a ball struck by Andrew Benintendi drop in front of him. He threw to second, but Phil Gosselin missed the catch and was charged with an error, putting two men on base. Hurdle said Marte, not attempting to bait the lead runner, was worried dividing for the ball might make the situation worse.