Game Recap: Red Sox Defensive Woes Cost Them in Series Opener Against Milwaukee

Charles Krupa/AP

The Milwaukee Brewers and Boston Red Sox started their three-game series tonight. The Red Sox had Brayan Bello making his second start of the season, facing off against Brandon Woodruff for Milwaukee.

Milwaukee Brewers Starting Lineup

2B – Brice Turang
C – William Contreras
DH – Christian Yelich
CF – Garrett Mitchell
1B – Jake Bauers
3B – Luis Rengifo
RF – Sal Frelich  
SS – David Hamilton
LF – Blake Perkins

RHP – Brandon Woodruff   

Boston Red Sox Starting Lineup

LF – Roman Anthony
DH – Masataka Yoshida
1B – Willson Contreras
RF – Wilyer Abreu
SS – Trevor Story
2B – Marcelo Mayer
3B – Caleb Durbin
C – Carlos Narváez
CF – Ceddanne Rafaela

RHP – Brayan Bello

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Brewers vs. Red Sox

First Three

The Red Sox got the scoring started in the bottom of the first. Roman Anthony led off with a double; he would tag up to third on Masataka Yoshida’s flyout. He would score on a Trevor Story single, making it 1-0. The Red Sox added to their lead in the third as Wilyer Abreu hit into a force out with the bases loaded, bringing home Anthony, who led off the inning with a single. They got a third run in the inning as Yoshida scored on a sacrifice fly from Story. Brayan Bello pitched himself out of a jam in all three innings as he allowed four hits and walked two, but struck out five.

Middle Three

Bello’s luck ended in the fourth after a leadoff single and a walk; the Brewers got runners on second and third due to a sacrifice bunt. Brice Turang then reached on a walk, and William Contreras reached on an error, allowing Sal Frelick to score. Danny Coulombe would replace Bello, and he allowed back-to-back singles as the Brewers made it 3-3, then a bases-loaded walk to Jake Bauers brought Contreras home, giving Milwaukee the lead. Bello went 3.1 innings, allowing four runs, three earned, on five hits. He walked four and struck out five.

The Red Sox got the lead back in the bottom half of the fourth. Caleb Durbin led off with a double and advanced to third on a groundout. Ceddanne Rafaela reached on an error, bringing home Durbin. A few batters later, Yoshida singled, and Rafaela advanced to third. He would score on a Willson Contreras double to make it 5-4. The Brewers tied things up in the fifth as Turang drove home former Red Sox David Hamilton, who reached on a walk.

Last Three

The Red Sox threatened in the seventh but couldn’t push a run home. Garrett Whitlock struggled upon his return from paternity leave. He walked Turang and Christian Yelich. Both would later score on a Garrett Mitchell single. The Red Sox would challenge the play on Yelich, but the tag was too high, and it would be 7-5 Milwaukee. The Brewers added some more insurance in the ninth as Sal Frelick singled home Luis Rengifo, who doubled to lead off the inning, making it 8-5. The Red Sox got a run back in the bottom of the ninth as Contreras hit a solo home run, his second of the year, to make it 8-6. It wasn’t enough as the Red Sox dropped their third straight.

Player of the Game

Christian Yelich had a big day at the plate. He went 3-4 with a double, an RBI, and a run scored.

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