Alex Cora Praises Bryan Bello After Latest Red Sox Loss

The Boston Red Sox are now mired in a season-worst six-game losing streak after dropping Friday’s series opener 9-0 to the Toronto Blue Jays.

After being swept by the Los Angeles Angels earlier in the week, right-hander Bryan Bello took the mound for the Red Sox hoping to get the team back in the win column. But on a night where his offense could only muster four hits and two walks, it proved to be an uphill battle for him beginning in the first inning.

Over six innings, Bello allowed eight hits, three earned runs, and walked three, with one strikeout on 104 pitches. With José Berríos shutting down the Red Sox offense over a spectacular seven-inning performance, Bello’s small mistakes seemed magnified according to Red Sox manager Alex Cora after the game.

“Six innings. Doesn’t matter how it looks. It was six innings, three runs,” said Cora.” That’s a quality start. He gave us a chance. Yeah, I mean, against an opponent that’s been really good against us.”

Asked about how walks and not throwing strikes in counts have hurt the team recently, Cora conceded that staying ahead of hitters at all times is what he and his staff want to see more of going forward.

“Not great,” said Cora. We preach first-pitch strikes and get ahead, stay ahead. And we haven’t done that. And at this level, when we talk about defense, you give extra outs, you pay the price. Same thing with walks.”

Bringing the conversation back to Bello’s six innings on the mound, Cora used Friday’s loss as motivation when the two spoke about the start after he was removed from the game.

“We just have to be better,” said Cora. “But going back to Brayan, that’s something I made a point after the outing. I said, take a look at the scoreboard. On bad days that should be you right there. And you did a good job for us. It looked like a lot of traffic, and it looked worse than what it was, but it was six innings, three runs.”

The Red Sox will face the Blue Jays again on Saturday. Lucas Giolito (3-1) will oppose Chris Bassitt (7-3) in Game 2 of the series.