Red Sox Wrap: Boston Rallies For Win After Bullpen Collapse

The Boston Red Sox bounced back after dropping back-to-back games, defeating the Cleveland Guardians, 8-7, in extra innings on Sunday.

Boston improved to 14-14 after the come-from-behind win in the second game against Cleveland. The Guardians fell to 13-14 on the campaign.

You can check out the full box score here.

ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
Alex Verdugo was the hero in the bottom of the tenth inning when he singled to left, scoring Christian Arroyo for the Red Sox win.

Boston’s bats got to Guardian pitcher Zach Plesac early and often, peppering the righty with five runs on eight hits in the first 3 1/3 innings. Rafael Devers got the Red Sox on the board first when he launched a three-run homer in the bottom of the first inning.

Across the mound, Brayan Bello made his third start of the season after being recalled from Triple-A Worcester when Garrett Whitlock was placed on the 15-day injured list due to right elbow ulnar neuritis on Tuesday.

Bello pitched five strong innings giving up one run on five hits, striking out six and walking two. The righty may have been able to pitch deeper into the game, but an issue with a nail on his pitching hand garnered two visits to the mound from the trainer and, ultimately, his exit from the game.

The bullpen couldn’t hold down the 6-1 lead Bello left them. John Schreiber inherited a bases-loaded situation from Ryan Brasier in the seventh, and Cleveland’s Josh Naylor made him pay with a double to right clearing the bases. And closer Kenley Jansen gave up the tying run in the top of the ninth, preventing Bello from getting his first win of the season.

STARS OF THE GAME
— Connor Wong had a solid night at the plate going 3-for-3 with a stolen base. Wong also threw out Jose Ramirez for trying to steal second in the fourth. The Boston catcher has caught six base runners this season.

— Naylor went 3-for-4 from the plate including the bases-clearing double in the seventh.

— Arroyo had RBI singles in the fourth and tenth innings and batted 3-for-4 at the plate with a walk.

WAGER WATCH
FanDuel Sportsbook set the odds of Devers hitting the first home run of the game at +700. With Boston’s third baseman launching a three-run bomb in the bottom of the first inning, bettors that waged $100 netted a payout of $800 on the 26-year-old’s American League-leading 10th home run.

UP NEXT ON NESN
The Red Sox will wrap up their three-game series with Cleveland on Sunday. First pitch from Fenway Park for the rubber match is scheduled for 1:35 p.m. ET. You can watch all the action, plus an hour of pregame coverage, on NESN.