Brayan Bello dominant over eight shutout innings, earns 12th win of the season
Brayan Bello has been a roller coaster on the mound this season. He started out the season massively inconsistent; however, on Wednesday night, he completely shutdown the Blue Jays hitters.
Bello was electric over eight frames, allowing just two hits while recording nine strikeouts in the Sox’ 3-0 win.
“It was his best outing in the big leagues, against a team that has given him trouble,” said manager Alex Cora. “He was able to keep them off balance, use the fastball enough to keep them honest. It was outstanding.
“That was amazing. It was fun to watch. Under control, pitch by pitch. He didn’t get ahead. The sinker was good, the four-seamer was great. Changeup, slider was outstanding.”
The right-hander threw 97 pitches before turning the ball over to closer Kenley Jansen, who converted his 445th career save and his 25th this season.
Boston has won two in a row, improving to 69-64; and with the Braves defeating the Twins 5-1 behind a strong performance from Chris Sale, the Red Sox have pulled within three games of the final wild-card spot in the American League.
“He understands where we’re at and what it’s all about,” Cora said. “He has been pitching well for a while here. It’s not like all of the sudden this happened because he was struggling. He has been throwing the ball well for a month and a half. Stuff-wise, it has been more than a month and a half. Now, it’s execution.”
Boston’s only run came in the bottom of the first inning, when table setter Jarren Duran opened the game with a single to right field. After reaching second base following a Tyler O’Neill groundout to first and Triston Casas was hit by a Chris Bassitt 74.8 mph sweeper, Wilyer Abreu put the Sox on the board.
The right fielder slapped a base hit into left field, scoring the speedy Duran from second base.
Bello was the story in the win, needing just 13 pitches in the first inning, setting the Jays in order 1-2-3, followed by working around a double from Addison Barger in the second inning. Following the double from Barger, Bello struck out eight in a row. Bello walked just one batter in the game, a leadoff walk to Barger in the fifth inning, which was erased by a 6-4-3 double play.
“He was excited, but not too excited,” Cora said. “He was very level, stayed in the moment and gave us a much-needed outing with where we were bullpen-wise.”
Tyler O’Neill put a bow on top of Bello start when he belted a first-pitch two-run homer into the Green Monster seats in the eight.
Bassitt was solid in the game, tossing a gem, holding the Sox to just one run over 6 2/3 innings. He gave up five hits, which were sprinkled throughout his outing, and he struck out nine batters.
Masataka Yoshida had three of the Red Sox seven hits in the win. The Red Sox shut out an opposing team for the 13th time this season.
Crawford looks to close out the series with a win
The Red Sox will send right-handed hurler Kutter Crawford (8-11, 4.22 ERA) to the mount on Thursday to wrap up this unofficial five-game series from Fenway Park. The Blue Jays will counter with righty Bowden Francis (7-3, 4.02 ERA), who is coming off a near no-hitter in his last start versus the Angels last Saturday.
First pitch is at 7:10 p.m., then the Red Sox will hit the road for the Motor City and play a weekend series with the Detroit Tigers.
