Red Sox Notes: How J.D. Martinez Review ‘Sums Up’ Boston’s Season

The New York Yankees completed the two-game sweep over the Red Sox at Fenway Park on Wednesday after defensive miscues and a key eighth-inning review that went against Boston.

The Bronx Bombers jumped out to a lead in the fifth inning thanks to Gleyber Torres’ “Little League home run” that was created after a few miscues capped off by catcher Connor Wong’s throw that went behind Kike Hernández, who filled in for Christian Arroyo at first baseman while he attempted to cut off Alex Verdugo’s throw.

“We had opportunities offensively, too, we didn’t cash in,” manager Alex Cora told reporters on Boston’s performance Wednesday, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage. “We had first and second, no outs. We didn’t score. We had bases loaded, we didn’t score. We haven’t played bad defense in a while, but still, we were in the game in the eighth, then we couldn’t make plays in the ninth, and that was it.”

Despite the errors, as Cora said, the Red Sox remained in distance for a comeback. Xander Bogaerts helped load the bases in the bottom of the eighth inning, and Rafael Devers forced an error to cut the Yankees lead to two runs. J.D. Martinez appeared to have brought in a third run to cut the game to 4-3. However, after a replay review, it was determined the Boston designated hitter was just short of the first base bag, thus completing the double play and ending the inning.

“That kind of sums up our season right there, right?” Cora said of the Martinez play. “Just short, throughout the season. He was hustling, just missed. That’s all he has there. It’s not a lack of effort. It’s the other way around. Gleyber, who turned it, he did a good job of stretching to second and finished the play. Marwin stretched, and that was a good one. Kind of sums up everything, just short.”

Red Sox Wrap: Defensive Miscues Prove To Be Costly Vs. Yankees

Sep 14, 2022

Here are more notes from Wednesday’s Red Sox-Yankees:

— Boston’s six of its last eight losses have come by one or two runs, including each of the last four games.

— Brayan Bello continues to impress, despite the desired results not being there for the rookie pitcher. Against the Yankees, the right-hander allowed three runs on six hits in five innings. He struck out six batters and only walked one.

— Bello held off Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who hit two home runs Tuesday. He has the second-longest streak of not giving up a home run in a start during his Major League Baseball pitching career with 42 1/3 innings pitched, per NESN postgame coverage. He is behind former Red Sox pitcher Rick Jones’ 1976 record of 52 innings.

— Bogaerts is still chasing Minnesota Twins first baseman Luis Arraez to be the American League batting average leader. The Red Sox shortstop went 1-for-4 on Wednesday and sits at .317 behind Arraez’s .320. Judge and Chicago White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu trail behind Bogaerts at .310.

— The Red Sox will take a day off before taking on the Kansas City Royals for a three-game series at Fenway Park starting Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET, and you can catch full coverage of the game using NESN 360, along with an hour of pregame.