The Boston Red Sox entered Friday night having appeared to turn a corner offensively, scoring 20 runs in the four games leading up to the series opener in St. Louis. However, Boston was unable to capitalize on a late-inning opportunity, falling 3-2 to the Cardinals in the series opener.

St. Louis starter Dustin May entered Friday night's game having allowed 13 earned runs on 17 hits across 7.1 innings in his first two starts of the season. It represented a perfect opportunity for Boston to put its early-season woes in the rearview and string together their third straight win, and inch closer to what Red Sox manager Alex Cora called a reset point of .500. 

Instead, the Boston offense struggled mightily against May, who turned in six innings of two-run baseball (one earned), allowing just four hits against his former team. Red Sox hitting coach Pete Fatse met with the media following the loss, discussing what made May so effective against the offense: "He made a lot of really competitive pitches when he had to," Fatse told reporters. 

The turning point in the game, however, came not against May, but St. Louis reliever JoJo Romero, who entered the game in the eighth inning clinging to a 3-2 lead. Red Sox centerfielder Ceddanne Rafaela looped a leadoff double, immediately putting the Red Sox in position to tie the game. After playing in just one game in the Milwaukee series, left fielder Jarren Duran ripped a line drive to center, moving Rafaela over to third with just one out. Caleb Durbin was hit by a Romero fastball, setting up Masataka Yoshida to be the hero for the Sox. 

Yoshida, who is lauded for his ability to put the ball in play, worked a 3-1 count. Knowing he couldn't walk the Boston designated hitter to load the bases, Romero threw a center-cut sinker, which Yoshida looked at for a strike. Now back in the driver's seat, Romero threw a slider up-and-in on Yoshida that nabbed the inside corner, sitting him down looking for the second out. 

Former Cardinal Willson Contreras stepped to the plate as the Red Sox' last chance to capitalize on the leadoff double, when on the fourth pitch of his at-bat, he hit a hard line drive to center, an easy play for St. Louis center fielder Victor Scott II.

Cardinals closer Riley O'Brien made quick work of the Red Sox offense in the top of the ninth, retiring the Boston side 1-2-3, locking down the Cardinals' 3-2 win. 

Red Sox manager Alex Cora mentioned the missed opportunities for the Boston offense postgame, saying, "We had our chance, we just have to be better offensively." 

It hasn't been a dream start to the season for the Boston offense, ranking in the bottom third of the league in both batting average and OPS. Those struggles only become more pronounced with men on base. Their .222 average with men on base ranks 23rd in baseball, while their .628 OPS has them 26th. 

As a team that many viewed as being a bat or two short heading into the season, the margin for error in the Boston offense is that much smaller; they have to capitalize on every opportunity they get. That makes Yoshida's strikeout to effectively end the threat in the eighth that much more pronounced. 

Fatse was asked about his team's offensive performance through 13 games, "There's more to be desired. I think we know what we're capable of doing...we know our processes are strong, it's just a matter of stringing things together." Fatse said. 

The Red Sox offense will look to string things together tonight in game two of their three-game set in St. Louis. Ranger Suarez will get the start for Boston opposite Kyle Leahy for the Cardinals. First pitch from Busch Stadium at 7:15 p.m. ET. 

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