Once again the Boston Red Sox are getting off to an embarrassing start to the season with their fourth loss in a row, once again to the Houston Astros. Brayan Bello (0-1, 9.64 ERA) got shelled in his season debut as the Astros once again played home run derby. If that wasn't bad enough, the Sox almost had as many errors as they had hits and a totally inexcusable moment when Bello had struck out Cam Smith swinging....except the umpire didn't signal strike three. Smith stayed in the batters box and neither Sox manager Alex Cora, Bello or catcher Connor Wong put up a fight about it. Smith ended up walking and the entire world laughed at the Red Sox. The Astros got to the Boston bullpen for 3 runs and the Astros ran away with this one 9-2 at Daikin Park.
Hunter Brown got the ball in the top of the first inning and Roman Anthony took strike three straight down the middle to start Trevor Story struck out on a pitch up in his eyes but somehow Masataka Yoshida walked. Willson Contreras hit a weak liner to short to end the inning. The Astros wasted no time getting to Bello in the bottom of the first inning as Jeremy Pena ripped a base hit to center to start. Yordan Alvarez effortlessly doubled to center to score Pena to end the game just like that. Jose Altuve grounded out to third, Carlos Correa struck out swinging and Christian Walker grounded out to second to end the inning with the Astros up 1-0.
Wilyer Abreu popped up weakly to third to start the top of the second and Andruw Monasterio struck out swinging. Marcelo Mayer grounded out to second to end the inning. Joey Loperfido grounded out to second to start the bottom of the second before Cam Smith got a swinging bunt base hit in front of the plate. Smith moved to second on the Yainer Diaz grounder to third but Jaker Meyers struck out swinging to end the inning.
Connor Wong took strike three right down the middle to start the top of the third before Ceddanne Rafaela did the exact same thing. Anthony swung at a pitch that was 10 feet over his head to end the inning. The Astros iced it in the bottom of the third as Pena grounded out to second to start. Alvarez flied out to right but Altuve walked. Correa hit a ground rule double down the right field line an Walker got a base hit to left to score both runners. Loperfido grounded out to third to end the inning with the Astros up 3-0.
Story lined out to left to start the top of the fourth before Yoshida popped up weakly to left. Contreras popped up weakly to first to end the inning. Smith grounded out to second to start the bottom of the fourth before Diaz flied out to right. Meyers grounded out to third to end the inning.
The Sox somehow scored in the top of the fifth as Abreu flied out to center to start. Monasterio grounded out to second but Mayer walked. Wong belted a double to center to score Mayer but Rafaela once again took strike three right down the middle to end the inning with the Sox down 3-1.
The Astros finished off Bello in the bottom of the fifth as Pena grounded out to third to start. Alvarez then hit a home run all the way to Maine to increase the lead. Altuve lined out to center but Correa walked. Walker doubled to left and Loperfido blooped a base hit to left to score Correa. Loperfido took off for second and Wong threw the ball away for an error. Mayer tried to cut down Walker at the plate and threw the ball away to allow Christian to score as the Astros laughed at them. The laughter got even louder when Smith swung and missed on 3 straight pitches....and the umpire didn't call him out, nor did he leave the batters box. Sox manager Alex Cora, Bello and Wong didn't put up a fight at all and Smith ended up walking as everyone laughed at Boston. That was it for Bello who mercifully was pulled for allowing 6 runs in just 5 2/3 innings. His offense and defense certainly didn't help. Ryan Watson got Diaz to force Smith at second to end the inning with Houston up 6-1.
Anthony struck out swinging at a pitch that bounced eight feet in front of the plate to start the top of the sixth before Story popped up weakly to left. Yoshida grounded out weakly to second to end the inning. The Astros poured it on in the bottom of the sixth as Meyers got a base hit to right to start. Pena struck out swinging but Alvarez walked. Altuve walked to load the bases and Correa got a base hit to left to score both Meyers and Alvarez. Walker struck out swinging and Loperfido grounded out to second to end the inning with the Astros up 8-1.
Cody Bolton came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Contreras singled inside the bag at third to start. Abreu struck out swinging, Monasterio went down hacking and Mayer swung at strike three that went 20 feet out of the batter's box to end the inning. Jovani Moran came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Smith hit a home run all the way to Montreal to increase the lead. Diaz grounded out to second, Meyers grounded out to short and Pena flied out to center to end the inning with the Astros up 9-1.
Brice Matthews came in for Altuve and Nick Allen came in for Correa to start the top of the eighth. Wong took strike three right down the middle but somehow Rafaela hit his first home run of the season to wrap up the scoring. Anthony took strike three right down the middle but Story singled to center. Story took second on defensive indifference and Yoshida walked. Contreras grounded out to third to end the inning with the Sox down 9-2.
First of the year for Ceddanne
Old pal Christian Vazquez pinch hit for Alvarez to start the bottom of the eighth and struck out swinging to start. Matthews struck out swinging and Allen lined out to left to end the inning.
Abreu lined out to center to start the top of the ninth before Monasterio popped up to first Mayer grounded out to third to end the game. The Astros had won the game 9-2.
Astros win
Jackass of the Night is Brayan Bello. He allowed 6 runs in just 5 2/3 innings to put the Sox in a hole they couldn't climb out of.
The Good:
Masataka Yoshida walked twice in four plate appearances.
Ceddanne Rafaela was 1 for 3 with a home run.
The Bad:
Roman Anthony was 0 for 4 with a golden sombrero of 4 strikeouts.
Wilyer Abreu was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Andruw Monasterio was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Ryan Watson allowed 2 runs in 1 2/3 innings.
The Ugly:
Trevor Story was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Willson Contreras was just 1 for 4.
Marcelo Mayer was 0 for 3 with a strikeout and an error but walked and scored a run.
Connor Wong was just 1 for 3 with 2 strikeouts and an error but drove in a run.
Jovani Moran allowed a run in 2 innings of work.
Final Thoughts:
Sox fans are ready to riot and we're only five games into the season. They can't hit, they can't field, they can't pitch and apparently can't pay attention either. Letting Smith get away with that was inexcusable and that's on the manager. Alex Cora has gotten off to cold starts almost every year since 2018 and at what point is enough? He definitely isn't the main problem by any stretch but maybe its time to make a change to get a fresh face in the dugout. Bello got rocked in this one and its fairly obvious the offense isn't working. Letting Alex Bregman walk and trading Rafael Devers rears its ugly head as when it comes time for the three run home run or even to get on base, nobody is doing it. Still, this happens every year so they might go on a seven game win streak and it'll be business as usual. The Sox look to avoid a sweep tomorrow afternoon when Garrett Crochet (1-0, 0.00 ERA) takes on Mike Burrows of Houston. The game begins at 2:10 PM at Daikin Park.
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