One-run losses — now 16 of them, to be exact — have been one of the stories of the season for the Boston Red Sox.
After falling into a 6-0, first-inning hole and nearly coming all the way back in a 7-6 loss to the visiting Angels on Monday, the Red Sox will look to even the score in the middle game of a three-game series against Los Angeles on Tuesday.
Boston’s only two victories over the past nine games came in a series win over the weekend at Atlanta, but manager Alex Cora is confident that there is reason to believe.
“We’re not that far off, I truly believe that,” Cora said. “… (The record has to do with) some young guys playing, right? Some at-bats that are going to get better with experience. Obviously, we expect to get healthy and I truly believe our pitching staff should be better.”
Boston’s Jarren Duran breaking out of an 0-for-17 slump by collecting three hits, including two doubles, on Monday was a great place to start. Pitching has to come next.
The Red Sox will be looking for more length out of right-hander Brayan Bello (2-1, 3.83 ERA), who has not completed five innings in any of his past five starts and remains winless since April 27. He is 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA in three career outings against the Angels.
Bello allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits across 4 2/3 frames in a Wednesday no-decision against the Milwaukee Brewers, Boston’s fifth straight loss at the time.
“I feel a little bit frustrated that I was taken out of the game with 77 pitches,” Bello said through an interpreter. “I felt like I had a little more in the tank, but at the same time it’s their decision and you have to respect that.”
Backed by the first three-homer first inning by a visiting team in Fenway Park history, Los Angeles has split its past four games since a five-game skid and is on a 9-2 run on the road.
Jo Adell knocked two homers, while Mike Trout hit a three-run shot as part of a 3-for-4 performance. Despite being outhit 11-8, the Angels found a way to win.
“A good team win, in general,” said the Angels’ Monday starting pitcher, Tyler Anderson. “The guys did a good job, obviously, putting up runs early and then I didn’t do my job, but the bullpen came in and did a good job of holding us in it, and the guys added a little more on.”
Trout is 8-for-14 over four games since returning from the injured list, and he overtook Tim Salmon for the second-most hits in Angels history on Monday. Trout now has 1,675 hits, one more than Salmon’s total.
The three-time All-Star has hit fifth or sixth in the lineup during his starts since returning.
“He’s doing well where he is,” Angels manager Ron Washington said.
The Angels will counter Bello with Yusei Kikuchi (1-5, 3.06 ERA). The left-hander has fanned seven Red Sox in each of his past three starts against them, including June and August outings last season.
Despite those recent results, Kikuchi is 0-3 with a 5.97 ERA in nine career appearances (seven starts) vs. Boston.
Kikuchi worked five innings of one-run ball in a 1-0 loss to the New York Yankees on Wednesday, giving up four hits, walking five and striking out four.
“It was tough navigating through the first couple innings there, but I think the fourth and fifth innings went really well,” Kikuchi said. “I think I ended up on a good note.”
Five days earlier, Kikuchi shut out the Miami Marlins for 5 2/3 innings in his only win of the season, but has yet to surpass six innings in a start.
–Field Level Media
