The run-starved Boston Red Sox will be looking for offense of any kind as they attempt to avert a series sweep by the host Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday.
Right-hander Freddy Peralta (5-3, 2.55 ERA) starts for the Brewers, while right-hander Brayan Bello (2-1, 4.08) gets the nod for Boston, which has lost four straight.
The Brewers took the second game of the series 5-1 on Tuesday, when Christian Yelich belted a walk-off grand slam in the 10th inning. Milwaukee tied the game in the ninth with a run off Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman, who had converted all eight of his previous save opportunities.
The Red Sox, who have managed a total of five runs in their four-game skid, scored their only run on a wild pitch in the sixth inning.
It was Boston’s sixth walk-off loss this season.
“You’ve got to stay positive,” Chapman said afterward through a translator. “You go out there and try to win tomorrow’s game. You can’t do anything about today’s game. So, you’ve got to take day by day and just be ready for tomorrow, go out there and win the game.”
Bello, who finished 14-8 last season, will be making his eighth start of 2025. He has not won since April 27. Across five starts in May, Bello is 0-1 with a 4.44 ERA, and he has not lasted more than 4 2/3 innings in any of his past four outings.
In his latest start, Bello allowed two runs on six hits but threw 87 pitches and got through only four innings. He did not receive a decision in the Red Sox’s 19-5 victory over the Baltimore Orioles.
Bello has made two career appearances (one start) vs. the Brewers, going 0-1 with a 5.00 ERA.
Highly touted Boston rookie Marcelo Mayer, who made his big league debut Saturday, had two hits and walked once Tuesday for his second multi-hit game. The 22-year-old third baseman is 5-for-15 with two doubles in his first five games.
Milwaukee has won three straight to move back to .500 for the first time since May 7.
“We’re just fighting, battling, trying to stack wins on top of each other,” said Yelich, who connected for the first walk-off homer of his career. “It hasn’t been as smooth of a season as everyone’s kind of accustomed to, but that’s how baseball works. …
“We haven’t played the cleanest or best that we know we’re capable of, but we still have a ton of season left. Just try to get the ship headed in the right direction and keep stacking good wins.”
Peralta is 5-2 with a 2.68 ERA over his past nine starts, but length has been an issue. In four starts this month, he has made it through six innings just once. His last time out, Peralta allowed two runs, one earned, on five hits, but needed 101 pitches to toss 4 1/3 innings at Pittsburgh on Friday. He did not get a decision in the Brewers’ 6-5, 10-inning loss.
Peralta has faced Boston just once in his career, taking a 5-3 loss in 2023 at Milwaukee after allowing four runs in 5 2/3 innings.
–Field Level Media
