The Boston Red Sox faced a tough loss to the Houston Astros, further distancing themselves from the American League wild-card race. The Red Sox struggled to get anything going offensively, falling behind 2-0 in the first inning to the Astros. Pitcher Brayan Bello made a couple of mistakes, resulting in back-to-back home runs by Alex Bregman and Yordan Alvarez. Despite settling down after the first inning, the Red Sox’s defensive errors and walks ultimately cost them the game.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora expressed disappointment in his team’s defensive performance, particularly highlighting Rafael Devers’ 17th error of the season and David Hamilton’s failure to complete a double play. Cora acknowledged that the Astros capitalized on these mistakes, putting pressure on the Red Sox throughout the game. Additionally, relief pitcher John Schrieber’s two-out walk followed by a double allowed two more runs for the Astros.
The Red Sox now find themselves six and a half games behind in the wild-card race. Cora acknowledged that his team needs to play better baseball, as they have struggled in various areas of the game throughout the season. However, he remains optimistic, recognizing that there is still plenty of baseball left to be played, especially within their division.
In Tuesday’s game, Brayan Bello became the fourth Boston starter in as many games to not make it out of the fifth inning. Although he felt good overall, Bello’s early mistakes cost him the win. The Red Sox also struggled in the month of August, dropping below .500 and losing six of their last nine games. They have struggled when their opponents score first and when they score less than four runs in a game.
On a positive note, first baseman Triston Casas had a productive game, drawing two walks. This marked his 12th multi-walk game of the season. Casas has been a consistent performer for the Red Sox, displaying his abilities both at the plate and in the field.
The Red Sox will have a chance to bounce back as they close out their series against the Astros on Wednesday afternoon. Fans can tune in to NESN’s coverage of the game from Fenway Park, with the broadcast starting at 3 p.m. ET.
Overall, the Red Sox face a challenging road ahead as they strive to secure a spot in the American League wild-card race. They will need to address their defensive issues and improve their overall performance to remain competitive in the season.
