Brayan Bello provided the Boston Red Sox with a quality start in their series-sweeping victory against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Wednesday night.
Bello bounced back from a tough second inning and earned the win in Boston’s 8-5 victory. He limited the Rays to three runs on four hits in six innings of work, all three of those runs coming in the second frame.
“I feel it was a very good outing,” Bello told reporters through a translator, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage. “I feel like I gave the team the chance to win, and they did it when they scored that many runs in the fifth and the sixth innings.”
Bello retired the side in order in the third and fifth frames, and struck out two in the fourth and sixth innings, respectively.
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“He found his grove,” Cora told reporters, as seen on NESN. “He attacked the strike zone and got some quick outs and gave himself the chance to go for the six.”
Cora credited the right-hander for finding his changeup. Bello struggled with the pitch early as six of his first 10 changeups were outside the zone.
“Starting the third inning I was able to get my changeup back and also have a good feeling for my slider and sinker,” Bello said. “Starting at that point, I was having a good feeling for all of those three pitches.”
It marked Bello’s third start since missing about a month due to right lat tightness. It was his longest and most efficient start since April 19.
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The Red Sox return to the diamond Friday as they open up a three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers at Fenway Park. First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. ET, and you can watch it live on NESN
Featured image via Nathan Ray Seebeck/USA TODAY Sports Images
