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Can Bello Get Red Sox on Track?

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox have lost their last four straight games at Fenway Park. To get on the right side of the W/L ledger, the Sox will send their best pitcher to the mound on tonight, when they try to win the second game of a three-game series against the visiting Texas Rangers.

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Right-hander Brayan Bello, 24, has established himself as one of the top young pitchers in the major leagues and has become the ace of a pitching staff that has been thinned by injuries to Chris Sale (shoulder), Tanner Houck (facial bone fracture) and Garrett Whitlock (elbow inflammation).

Bello (5-5, 3.08 ERA) missed the first three weeks of the season with a forearm strain suffered during spring training. He has been strong in 13 starts since joining the rotation, and his numbers would be much better if it weren’t for a lackluster season debut in which he allowed five runs in 2 2/3 innings.

Since that outing, Bello has an ERA of 2.56, and he hasn’t allowed more than three earned runs in any appearance since then.

Bello carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning of his last start, a 2-0 loss to Miami on Thursday. He went seven-plus innings and surrendered a run on two hits, walked one and struck out five.

“He has so many weapons and he’s still learning how to use them,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of Bello. “He’s just evolving, keeps getting better. His next (start) is going to be a challenge. It’s the Rangers, so he’ll be ready for that one and we’ll see what we got.”

Bello didn’t allow a run in six innings to earn the win back on Sept. 3, 2022, during his only career appearance against Texas. He gave up three hits and struck out five.

The latest blow to the Red Sox rotation came Sunday, when Whitlock left his start against Toronto after one inning. He was placed on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday.

“It’s just about getting treatment and all that stuff and reassessing the situation next week,” Cora said. “Obviously no timetable, but for how bad it looked or whatever people were thinking ligament-wise and all that stuff, this is the closest thing to good news.”

Right-hander Jon Gray (6-4, 3.21) is scheduled to oppose Bello. Gray has a 1-0 record and a 2.45 ERA in his career against Boston (one start). He went 7 1/3 innings in that appearance and allowed two runs on five hits. He struck out six and walked three.

Texas ended Boston’s three-game winning streak by earning a 6-2 victory on Tuesday.

There was some speculation that Texas might replace closer Will Smith with newly acquired reliever Aroldis Chapman after Smith allowed two runs in the top of the ninth of Monday’s 12-11 loss to Houston, but Smith was called upon to retire the final batter in Tuesday’s victory. The Rangers traded for Chapman on Friday.

“I’m not going to go there now because Smitty has been doing such a great job,” Texas manager Bruce Bochy said. “That’s not what we’re even thinking about right now. … Those are important innings — seventh, eighth and ninth. We need to put zeroes up there, too. I’ll leave it at that.”

–Field Level Media

Red Sox: Home on the 4th of July

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Home on the 4th of July, the Boston Red Sox can stretch their winning streak to four games when they open a three-game series against the visiting Texas Rangers early this afternoon. Boston had lost five games in a row — and seven of eight — before it swept a three-game series at Toronto this past weekend.

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(Highlights from July 4, 2022)

“The way we played this weekend was fun to watch,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said following his team’s 5-4 victory on Sunday. “Hopefully it’s a lesson to everybody here in this group that if we play that way against everybody, we’ve got a chance.”

The bottom four batters in Boston’s lineup (Triston Casas, Enrique Hernandez, David Hamilton and Connor Wong) were 0-for-17 in Sunday’s win, but Jarren Duran went 5-for-5 and matched a franchise record by hitting four doubles. It was the 50th time since 1901 that a major league player has had four doubles in one game.

While Boston had a day off Monday, the Rangers are coming off Monday afternoon’s wild 12-11 loss to Houston. Texas fought back from a 10-2 deficit to take an 11-10 lead in the eighth inning, but it surrendered two runs in the top of the ninth.

Travis Jankowski went 3-for-4 with a career-high five RBIs in the setback, capping an eight-game homestand during which the Rangers went 3-5. Jankowki’s hits included a three-run home run that sliced Houston’s lead to 10-5.

Texas arrived in Boston with a fortified bullpen. Not only did the Rangers acquire closer Aroldis Chapman in a trade with Kansas City on Friday, but they also activated right-handed pitcher Glenn Otto from the 60-day injured list on the same day.

Otto was used exclusively as a starting pitcher in his first two seasons with Texas, but he pitched a scoreless ninth inning in Friday’s 5-3 loss to Houston and allowed four runs in 3 1/3 innings of relief on Monday. He missed the first half of the season rehabbing a right shoulder strain.

“I’m here to get outs,” Otto told the Dallas Morning News. “Whatever form or fashion that is, I’m here to get outs. I’m going to do the best job I can do to attack the hitters and get them out as fast as I can, go from there and let everything else fall where it may.”

Texas is expected to start right-hander Dane Dunning (7-1, 2.69 ERA) in the series opener on Tuesday. Dunning matched his career high by striking out 10 batters in 8 2/3 innings during his last start, a 10-2 victory over Detroit last Wednesday.

Dunning began the season as a reliever but joined the rotation to fill in for Jacob deGrom in May and has been used in that role since then. He is 0-3 with a 9.42 ERA in three career appearances (all starts) against Boston.

Boston has not officially announced its starting pitcher, but left-hander Chris Murphy (0-0, 1.80 ERA) is among those who could get the start. Murphy, who hasn’t pitched since last Wednesday, made his major league debut against Cleveland last month and has never pitched against Texas.

Red Sox outfielder Masataka Yoshida was hit in the leg by a pitch during Boston’s 7-6 triumph over Toronto on Saturday and was held out of the lineup Sunday. Cora said he expects Yoshida to be available to play Tuesday.

–Field Level Media

Red Sox Sweep Blue Jays

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TORONTO – (Staff and Wire Service Report from Field Level Media) – Alex Verdugo led off the ninth inning with a tie-breaking home run and the visiting Boston Red Sox completed a three-game sweep with a 5-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday afternoon.

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Jarren Duran tied a Red Sox club record with four doubles and finished 5-for-5 with three runs scored.

The Red Sox have won all seven games between the teams this season.

Brandon Belt hit two solo home runs for Toronto, which was held to six hits.

Boston right-hander Garrett Whitlock (right elbow tightness) allowed one run before being removed after the first inning.

Toronto right-hander Kevin Gausman allowed two runs, five hits and one walk while striking out seven in five innings.

Duran led off the game with a bloop double to left and scored on a two-out single by Rafael Devers.

Toronto tied it at 1-1 in the bottom of the first on Belt’s fifth homer of the season.

After Gausman struck out five in a row, Duran doubled to right with one out in the third and scored on a two-out single by Devers, who finished 3-for-3 with two walks.

Toronto took the lead in the bottom of the third. Kevin Kiermaier hit a one-out single against Brennan Bernardino, who was replaced by Kaleb Ort. George Springer singled, and after a double steal, Bo Bichette hit a two-run single to right. Verdugo threw out Bichette trying for a double.

Belt hit his sixth homer of the season against Nick Pivetta with one out in the sixth to make it 4-2 Toronto.

Duran led off the seventh with his fourth double, a shot high off the left-field wall against Erik Swanson. Justin Turner singled to drive in Duran. Turner was running on the play when Verdugo chopped a groundout to third and continued to third, coming home on a throwing error by first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to tie the game at 4-4.

After Pivetta completed four innings of one-run ball, Chris Martin (2-1) took over and pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the eighth.

Verdugo hit his sixth home run of the season on the first pitch of the ninth off Toronto closer Jordan Romano (3-4) for the decisive run.

Boston’s Joe Jacques pitched a perfect bottom of the ninth to earn his first career save.

Devers, Sox Upset Blue Jays

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TORONTO – Boston’s 3B Rafael Devers hit a two-run home run and had three RBIs in a three-hit game as the visiting Red Sox defeated the Toronto Blue Jays, 7-6. Boston’s Justin Turner added a solo homer and an RBI double for the Red Sox, who have won the first two games of the three-game series. Boston is 6-0 against Toronto this season.

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Matt Chapman had a two-run homer for the Blue Jays while George Springer and Bo Bichette added solo home runs.

The game ended when Bichette was thrown out at home by right fielder Alex Verdugo. Bichette was trying to score the tying run on Vladimir Guerrero Jr’s single, which had already plated Springer.

Toronto left-hander Yusei Kikuchi (7-3) allowed five runs, seven hits and two walks in 4 1/3 innings.

Boston right-hander Kutter Crawford (3-4) allowed two runs, three hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings.

Springer led off the home half of the first with his 12th home run of the season.

Boston scored twice in the third. Turner singled with one out and Devers hit a 3-2 fastball to left center for his 20th homer of the season.

Bichette tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the third with his 15th homer of the season.

Boston regained the lead in the fifth. Rob Refsnyder led off with a single and scored on Turner’s double. Devers followed with an RBI single and took second on the throw home. Trevor Richards replaced Kikuchi and allowed Masataka Yoshida’s run-scoring single.

Christian Arroyo led off the Boston sixth with a single, took third on Refsnyder’s double and scored on Verdugo’s sacrifice fly. Nate Pearson then replaced Richards.

Josh Winckowski allowed Chapman’s leadoff double in the Toronto seventh before Danny Jansen hit an infield single. With runners at second and third and two outs, Winckowski’s errant pickoff throw to second resulted in a run.

Winckowski walked Guerrero with two outs in the eighth and allowed Chapman’s 11th homer of the season, which pulled the Blue Jays within 6-5.

Turner led off the ninth with his 13th homer of the season. It came against Erik Swanson.

Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen allowed Springer’s single and Bichette’s double ahead of Guerrero’s single that nearly tied the game until Verdugo’s pinpoint throw finished off the Jays.

–Field Level Media

Paxton Leads Red Sox, Shuts Down Jays

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TORONTO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston left-hander James Paxton pitched into the eighth inning and was supported by three home runs as the visiting Red Sox defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 5-0.

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Jarren Duran hir a two-run home run for the Red Sox and also made a good catch at the center-field wall. Justin Turner and Masataka Yoshida added solo home runs.

In winning the opener of the three-game series, the Red Sox ended a five-game losing streak.

They have defeated the Blue Jays in all five meeting between the teams this season.

The Red Sox swept the Blue Jays in a four-game series at Boston May 1-4.

Paxton (4-1) allowed three hits and two walks in 7 2/3 innings. The native of Ladner, B.C., struck out seven.

Toronto right-hander Jose Berrios (8-6) allowed four runs and five hits while striking out eight in six innings.

Turner led off the fifth with his 12th home run of the season, a drive to left on a 3-2 pitch. Berrios had retired the previous 10 batters in a row after a first-inning single.

Paxton, who retired his first eight batters of the game before allowing a third-inning single, set the Blue Jays down in order in the home fifth. He also allowed a walk in the fourth that was erased on a double play.

Bello Shines But Marlins Sweep Sox

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Despite Boston Red Sox starter Brayan Bello flirting with a no-hitter, the visiting Miami Marlins rallied late and completed a three-game series sweep with Thursday night’s 2-0 win.

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The Marlins ended Bello’s no-hit bid and later took the lead — thanks to Jon Berti’s RBI single to center — during an eighth-inning rally.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. doubled the Miami lead with his second home run in as many games to straightaway center in the ninth. He has nine blasts.

Joey Wendle went 2-for-4 and starter Jesus Luzardo allowed just three hits and struck out nine over 6 1/3 scoreless innings.

Tanner Scott and A.J. Puk pitched two combined innings of one-hit ball following winning reliever Andrew Nardi (6-1). Puk logged his 13th save.

Jean Segura led off the eighth with Miami’s first hit — an single up the middle that diving Red Sox shortstop Enrique Hernandez knocked down behind second base.

After Wendle’s single to right moved Segura to third, Berti knocked an RBI single to center against reliever Chris Martin. A 5-2-3 double play ball and a strikeout of Jorge Soler ended the inning without any further damage.

Bello (5-5) struck out five and was charged with one run on two hits and one walk over seven-plus innings.

Marlins Go for 3-Game Sweep Over Sox

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – After winning the first two games by a combined 16-3 score, the Miami Marlins aim for a road series sweep of the Boston Red Sox on Thursday night.

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Miami has won four straight and 10 of its past 13 games, including a 6-2 win on Wednesday to set up the opportunity for the sweep.

“This is my fourth year here and I’m not gonna lie, this is probably the most fun I’ve ever had in the big leagues playing baseball,” Miami center fielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. said. “I always try to have as much fun as I can, but this is a different level of fun with these guys in there.”

The Marlins are also 11-3 in their past 14 road games, having won six straight outside of Miami, and they sit 13 games over .500 for the first time since 2009.

Reinforcements have helped the team’s recent success in Boston, as Chisholm and third baseman Jean Segura have just returned from injuries.

Chisholm, out since May 14 due to turf toe, went 3-for-4 with three RBIs in Tuesday’s series opener in his first game back, then hit an eighth-inning home run on Wednesday.

Segura, sidelined for nearly two weeks because of a hamstring strain, homered on Tuesday in his return. He added a two-run single on Wednesday.

“They’ve had a lot of time off and probably watching the team doing really well without them and wanting to be part of this thing,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said on Tuesday. “I think the pressure (was) a little bit off of them, too, because they don’t have to come back feeling like they have to be the hero. Just (being) who they are is good enough for us.”

The Marlins will finish the series with a second straight left-hander on the mound. Jesus Luzardo (6-5, 3.77 ERA) is set to oppose Boston for the first time.

Luzardo, 25, leads the Miami staff with 103 strikeouts through 16 starts. He fanned nine batters — his second-highest total of the season — across seven shutout, two-hit innings on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Pirates, his eighth quality start.

The Red Sox, who are on a four-game skid and have a 2-12 home record against National League teams this season, will attempt to salvage the series finale.

Alex Verdugo had a 13-game hitting streak snapped on Wednesday.

The emergence of Brayan Bello (5-4, 3.27 ERA) as a consistent starter has been a major bright spot of Boston’s season to this point. The 24-year-old right-hander will attempt to continue his success on Thursday.

Bello has worked at least six innings in each of his past four starts and five of his past six, which includes back-to-back, seven-inning outings against the New York Yankees earlier this month.

In his most recent start, Bello worked 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball to beat the host Chicago White Sox on Friday.

“My goal is always (to) try to go deep into the game so I can help the bullpen, and that has been my mentality since I came up here,” Bello said. “I’m trying to get quick outs. I’m not trying to strike out anybody, and that’s been the key to go deep into the game.”

Prior to Bello, the most recent Red Sox pitchers to post a sub-2.50 ERA in a 10-start span before turning 25 years old were Jon Lester, Aaron Sele, Roger Clemens and Dennis Eckersley.

Bello’s work ethic has been impressive.

“He’s very hungry,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “He understands that he’s good, but obviously there’s a lot of work that we have to do for him to get to where we want to.”

Bello will be making his first career appearance against Miami.

–Field Level Media

Miami: 10 Runs, 19 Hits vs Red Sox

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Following a 10-1, series-opening triumph on Tuesday, the Miami Marlins will look to keep up their winning ways when a three-game series against the Red Sox continues in Boston on Wednesday.

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Miami has won three straight games and nine of 12, and the Marlins remain in a National League playoff position at nearly the halfway mark of the season.

Marlins right-hander Sandy Alcantara, who got the win on Tuesday in one of his best outings of the season, said, “Everybody’s happy. Everybody’s supporting each other. But what we are doing this year is something that people will know (about), because we surprised a lot of people this year, and we’ve just got to keep doing what we’re doing.”

Braxton Garrett (3-2, 3.64 ERA) takes the ball for Miami in the second of three games against Boston. It will be the 25-year-old’s first career start against the Red Sox.

While the Marlins’ rotation also includes reigning Cy Young Award winner Alcantara and star rookie Eury Perez, Garrett is in the midst of an strong run of his own. The left-hander has allowed just two earned runs — one in each of his two most recent starts — over his past 18 1/3 innings.

Despite taking a no-decision on Thursday in his start against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Garrett became the first left-hander in Marlins history to record 13 strikeouts without walking a batter. He allowed just two runs, one earned, on three hits across seven innings.

“This guy can really pitch,” Miami manager Skip Schumaker said. “If you have stuff and pitch, you’ll be an All-Star. He might be an All-Star. He’s pitching like one and putting together some really good outings for us.”

Another exciting piece of Miami’s success is Luis Arraez’s chase for .400. The second baseman went 2-for-5 on Tuesday and has a 10-game hit streak while sitting at .399.

The Marlins’ lineup as a whole banged out 19 hits to tie a season high on Tuesday. Joey Wendle went 4-for-4 with two runs.

The Red Sox did not officially name a Wednesday starter following the Tuesday game, though manager Alex Cora named Kaleb Ort (1-1, 5.79 ERA) as the “most likely” option to get that nod.

Only one of Ort’s 17 appearances this season was a start, when he went 2 1/3 innings to help Boston in its June 18 doubleheader sweep of the New York Yankees.

He has since pitched twice in relief, most recently recording the last two outs of the eighth inning on Sunday against the Chicago White Sox.

After finishing 26-50 against American League East opponents last season, the Red Sox have taken their lumps during interleague play this year. Boston is 11-16 against the NL — including 2-11 at home, which is the worst mark in the majors.

All in all, Boston is exactly a .500 team for the first time in more than a week and will look to step it up in the dog days of the summer.

“40-40, yep. No more, no less,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “Like I said, we’re not great, we’re not bad. We are where we’re at. Obviously, we’ve got a long way to go. (Wednesday) is the halfway game of the season and we just got to be better, man. That’s the bottom line.”

Cora’s club has been held to a single run in back-to-back games for the third time this season. The Red Sox also had a three-game stretch in May when they managed a total of one run.

On Tuesday, Alex Verdugo had two doubles and Triston Casas went 3-for-4 to lead the Boston offense. It wasn’t nearly enough as Garrett Whitlock allowed 11 hits and six runs in 4 2/3 innings.

–Field Level Media

Sox Back Home for Marlins

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BOSTON – With the MLB All-Star break approaching in two weeks, a crucial stretch of games stands ahead for the Boston Red Sox.

After dropping a three-game set to one of the worst teams in the American League in the Chicago White Sox, Boston returns home for a three-game interleague series with the Miami Marlins beginning tonight.

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The series begins a stretch of nine straight games for Boston against teams currently in playoff position. The Red Sox had won six straight before dropping four of five games, including Sunday’s 4-1 series finale in Chicago.

“It’s just baseball. That’s the way it works,” Boston infielder Justin Turner said. “You can go out there and beat up on really good pitchers and sometimes pitchers that on paper that you’re supposed to beat up pitch really well. … We had a winning streak going but can’t take anything for granted.”

Turner has reached base multiple times in nine of his past 15 games.

In Sunday’s game, the Red Sox managed just two hits after the third inning. Outfielder Adam Duvall had two of the team’s five hits.

“There’s a lot of good teams out there,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “We’ve just got to play good baseball.”

The Marlins are one of those strong clubs, entering Monday with the third-best record in the National League. Garrett Whitlock (4-2, 4.50 ERA) will be the first Boston starter to face them in the series.

Whitlock, who has never started against Miami, has worked seven innings in back-to-back starts but took a no-decision after allowing four runs on eight hits and striking out six last Wednesday at Minnesota. His past three decisions dating back a month have been wins.

In the series opener, the Red Sox will be up against a tough starter in reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara (2-6, 5.08).

Alcantara will look to follow up yet another impressive performance by 20-year-old rookie Eury Perez, who struck out nine and extended his consecutive scoreless innings streak to 21 in Sunday’s 2-0 win over Pittsburgh.

Miami has 16 wins during the month of June, including three of the past four games.

“It’s been a lot of fun. Winning is fun,” Perez said. “So we’ve got to continue winning a lot of games. Our next step is the playoffs. That will be the next step. (I) want to stay healthy so I can continue competing with all my teammates and win more games.”

Leading the way offensively, second baseman Luis Arraez enters the series with a .399 average, falling below the .400 mark after back-to-back one-hit games. He has not struck out since June 14.

Despite Alcantara’s overall struggles, he has pitched at least seven innings in three of his past four outings and six in total this season.

However, he has given up five runs and 10 hits in each of his two most recent games. All five runs in his start against Toronto last Wednesday came in the second inning.

“I’m going to bet on Sandy. Our clubhouse is going to bet on Sandy,” Miami manager Skip Schumaker said. “Obviously, we need him to be that version (from the end of the game) moving forward if we want to get to where we want to get to.”

Alcantara’s only career start against Boston was on Sept. 15, 2020, working six innings of one-run ball.

–Field Level Media

Red Sox Lose Series to White Sox

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CHICAGO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Luis Robert Jr. hit two home runs to power the Chicago White Sox to a 4-1 victory over the visiting Boston Red Sox on Sunday.

Robert hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning and a solo homer in the sixth. Both home runs came against Red Sox starting pitcher Kutter Crawford (2-4). Robert, who went 3-for-4 in the win, also homered in Chicago’s 5-4 triumph over Boston on Saturday. He has 21 home runs this season.

The victory allowed the White Sox to win the final two games in the three-game series after Boston posted a 3-1 victory on Friday night. Chicago’s Andrew Benintendi, who began his career with the Red Sox, went 2-for-4 Sunday and had seven hits in the series.

Jesse Scholtens (1-2) tossed four innings of scoreless relief to earn the victory. He gave up two hits, struck out three and walked one. Scholtens replaced starter Tanner Banks with two outs in the third inning.

Keynan Middleton pitched a scoreless ninth to pick up his second save.

Crawford gave up four runs on five hits in six innings. He recorded four strikeouts and walked one.

Boston’s Adam Duvall doubled in the third inning and drove in Justin Turner to give the Red Sox a 1-0 lead, but the White Sox grabbed the lead when Robert hit the first of his two home runs to make it a 2-1 game in the fourth. Benintendi also scored on the play.

Duvall collected two of Boston’s five hits.

In the fifth inning, Benintendi hit an RBI double that scored Gavin Sheets to increase the lead to 3-1, and Robert’s solo home run in the sixth capped the scoring.

Sunday’s game ended Boston’s seven-game road trip. The Red Sox went 3-4 in those seven contests.

The loss dropped Boston’s record against teams at or below the .500 mark to 12-15.

–Field Level Media