Red Sox 5, Athletics 6: The Bello Speed Bump

First, let me take some pressure off of Brayan Bello. When you’ve been carrying the rotation when most of your other compadres are made of glass bones and paper skin, you’re allowed an off outing. Three two-run homers certainly doesn’t make a good one. Going only four innings doesn’t make a good one. But, when you’ve consistenly been going seven innings giving up three runs or less, you’re bound to slip at some point. To slip to the A’s though? That’s rough.

I know, the addage is not to overlook any opponent. But come on. The (now) 27-71 Oakland Athletics? To lose two out of three in the series? To any other team in baseball, save the Kansas City Royals who are also mired in an astoundingly awful season, I don’t make too much of a fuss about this. To drop a series to this rag tag group? It’s not a good look. Does it change what Chaim and co. do in the next two weeks? Not right now, but let’s hope it makes a positive impact to kick tuchus the rest of the way to the deadline.

FanGraphs

Three Studs

Kiké Hernandez (.119 WPA, 1-for-3)

I think he gets a little lucky with the highest WPA, as his most contributing play SHOULD have been a groundout. Jace Peterson put a little too much heat on his throw from third to first, scoring Adam Duvall and putting Hernandez on second. He did single early on, though. Are we seeing Kiké’s last days in Boston with the return of Pablo Reyes?

Justin Turner (.118 WPA, 1-for-4, 1 R, 3 RBI)

He probably deserves the top spot more. One pitch that could have been called a balk, one pitch later, kaBOOM. A no-doubt, two-run shot to left-center field, giving the Sox an early jump. Just a shame they couldn’t hang on.

Adam Duvall (.085 WPA, 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 K)

A single, a stolen base while advancing to third on a throwing error, another single, scoring a run on the Jace Peterson throwing error. A pretty productive day for Duvall, who’s looking like he’s seeing the ball more and more.

Three Duds

Brayan Bello (-.436 WPA, 4.0 IP, 5 H, 3 HR, 6 ER, 2 BB, 3 K)

Sometimes, it’s just not your day, kehd.

Triston Casas (-.140 WPA, 0-for-2, 2 K)

To come in as a pinch hitter late in the game and strike out twice? Brutal. The first time with the game-tying run on second base, the next time while the game-tying run swipes second in the ninth inning.

Rafael Devers (-.128 WPA, 0-for-4, 1 K)

Devers just did not earn the big scoops today.

Play of the Game

By WPA, it’s Cody Thomas’ two-run shot in the second inning. For the Red Sox, it’s Justin Turner’s two-run dinger in the first.