HOUSTON -- The Red Sox’s defensive woes reached a boiling point on Tuesday night, and Rafael Devers knew it.

After the first inning of a 7-3 loss vs. the Astros at Minute Maid Park, Devers put his head in his hands out of frustration in the dugout. The third baseman’s errant throw in the first inning gave Boston its Major League-leading 88th error -- one day after he had similarly committed a throwing error in the first inning.

When pitching coach Dave Bush went out for a mound visit one batter after the error, Devers was the lone infielder not to join the huddle, staying at third base with his face in his glove.

It was just one of several defensive miscues in the first two days of the series for the Red Sox, who entered Tuesday dead last in Statcast’s Outs Above Average defensive metric at -53. The mistakes have cost them, as Boston (66-60) fell 4 1/2 games behind Seattle (71-55) for the final American League Wild Card spot and 5 games back of Houston (72-55) for the second slot.

“I know a lot of people today saw that stat about Outs Above Average,” manager Alex Cora said before Tuesday’s game. “I really don’t care about that one. Just give me routine plays. You make routine plays, and you’re fine. … For stretches here, we haven’t made the routine plays.

“We’ve done everything -- from a lot of ground balls to no ground balls, the first-step program to individual workouts and all that. It hasn’t worked out. It’s not lack of trying because the players have been busting [it trying] to get better.”

For the first two games of the Red Sox’s series in Houston, Devers has been at the core of the defensive issues. Not only did the third baseman commit two first-inning throwing errors, he also failed to corral two hard-hit Alex Bregman choppers in both games that resulted in runs.

Cora called Monday’s loss one of the club’s “sloppiest games in the last few weeks.” Tuesday might have been even worse. And it all culminated in a disastrous seventh inning, with two throwing errors leading to four unearned Astros runs.

When the Red Sox’s defensive struggles first surfaced in an ugly defensive lowlight on June 4, Cora was upfront -- “We’re not a good defensive team” -- and said improvement was sorely needed, 60 games in.

“If it’s tomorrow, it is 59 games too late,” Cora said then.

After another 60 games, it will definitely be too late for the Red Sox to claw their way back into the Wild Card race if their defensive deficiencies continue.

Abreu makes the most of impromptu, ‘ironic’ debut
No. 17-ranked prospect Wilyer Abreu was thrust into action in right field after Alex Verdugo’s ejection in the fourth. Then he did exactly what he was called up for, mashing a double in his second at-bat for his first career MLB hit before adding a single in the 9th.

“It was a surprise; I didn’t expect to be in the game that early,” Abreu said through translator Carlos Villoria Benitez. “But I was ready.”

Cora, who was also ejected for arguing balls and strikes, said the club brought Abreu up due to his “control of the strike zone” and penchant for strong at-bats. The 24-year-old was riding an active 12-game hitting streak for Triple-A Worcester and carried it over to the big leagues.

Abreu, who was acquired in the trade that sent Christian Vazquez to the Astros at last year’s Trade Deadline, made his debut against Houston after signing with the club in 2017 and spending five years with the Astros' organization. The Venezuelan outfielder had planned to sign with Boston before the Red Sox received a ban from signing international prospects in 2016-2017.

“[Boston] is the organization who wanted to give me my first shot as a professional baseball player,” Abreu said. “Unfortunately, it didn’t happen, but I’m really happy to be able to make my debut in the big leagues here.”

“Ironic enough, he’s here, right?” Cora said. “What a difference a year makes.”