NEW YORK -- The idea, given the relative unimportance of the results and standings at this point in a thoroughly disappointing season, was to get a good look at three relatively untested pitchers in the Red Sox' three game series at Yankee Stadium.
The pitchers did just fine.
The hitters, however, were another matter altogether.
Once again, a Red Sox starter pitched well enough to win Thursday night. Once again, his teammates offered little in the way of support, saddling Eduardo Rodriguez with a tough-luck 2-1 defeat.
In three games, Red Sox starters gave up a total of six runs, but the Sox dropped two of those.
"(Rodriguez) in addition to our (other two) starters in this series (Henry Owens and Steven Wright) did an outstanding job,'' said John Farrell, "to not only stay in the game but put us in position to win. Eddie was that way tonight. (Scoring) six runs in the series is difficult.
"We've got to find a way to generate more runs and you'd think that would be the case with the guys in our lineup.''
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The Sox had their chances against CC Sabathia and, in the ninth, closer Andrew Miller. But like too many times this season, the Sox couldn't produce a hit when they needed it most.
That left Rodriguez with the loss, despite giving up just six hits in seven innings.
"He pitched a very strong seven innings,'' said Farrell. "Actually, I thought he deserved better, given the way he threw the baseball. I think he might have gotten a little stronger as the night went along. Seven very strong innings.''
After being touched for a run on an RBI double by Alex Rodriguez in the third, Rodriguez got himself into more trouble in the fifth. Two singles and a sacrifice bunt gave the Yankees runners at second and third with one out.
The Sox walked A-Rod to load the bases, but Rodriguez got Mark Teixeira to foul out to the catcher and retired Chris Young on an infield popup.
"He showed a tremendous amount of poise, understanding of the game situation and executed some quality pitches,'' gushed Farrell of Rodriguez.
Rodriguez made a costly mistake when he hung a slider to Jacoby Ellsbury with one out in the seventh. The pitch ended up in the second deck in right and was the difference on the scoreboard.
"I wanted it down and away,'' said Rodriguez ruefully, "and it was down the middle.''
It was, Rodriguez acknowledged, the only slider he mislocated all night. But it was costly.
Still, Rodriguez was impressive and final score aside, offered hope as the Red Sox seek to remake their rotation for next year.
And as was the case in his major league debut in May, and again when faced the Yankees last month at Fenway, he never rattled.
"I think we've seen, multiple times, his ability to, for the most part, keep his emotions under control,'' said Farrell. "In general, even when he's had games in which he's had rough outings, he's responded in a positive fashion. The second time you face a club, there's more known by the opposition and he and (Ryan Hanigan) paired up and used his stuff very well here tonight.''
"I just wanted to get under control all the time,'' said Rodriguez on making his debut at Yankee Stadium. "Not think about where I am. Just try to pitch good.''
Rodriguez held up his end of the bargain, even if Red Sox' hitters didn't hold up theirs.