BOSTON — Instant reactions from the Red Sox’ 10-4 loss to the Atlanta Braves on Sunday here at Fenway Park:
1) The Red Sox fell to two games below .500 (23-25). They have dropped 11 of their past 17 games. Boston is just 12-11 at Fenway Park, losing four of their seven series here. They have dropped series at home to Toronto, Seattle, Minnesota and Atlanta. They have won series here against the St. Louis, the White Sox and Texas.
2) Brayan Bello entered with a 2.33 ERA in five starts but he had a much higher FIP (5.54) and expected ERA (5.17). It all caught up to him Sunday. He gave up seven runs, 10 hits and five walks while striking out just three in 4 ⅓ innings. He threw only 56.5% strikes (92 pitches, 52 strikes).
3) Manager Alex Cora had nobody warming in the Red Sox bullpen until Bello fell behind Michael Harris Jr. 2-0 in the count in the fifth with the bases loaded (on two walks and a single) and no outs. Lefty Sean Newcomb finally got up but he didn’t enter the game until after Bello walked Harris on four pitches to force in the go-ahead run (5-4), then gave up an RBI single to Eli White and an RBI sac fly to Nick Allen. Atlanta went ahead 7-4.
4) It looked like Bello was going to post a shutdown inning in the fourth after Rafael Devers’ grand slam in the bottom of the third inning erased a 3-0 deficit and put Boston ahead 4-0. Bello retired the first two hitters in the fourth inning on four pitches. But he then gave up three straight singles and the Braves tied it 4-4.
5) The Red Sox continue to fall behind early in games. Brayan Bello gave up two runs on three singles and a walk before Boston even took its first at-bat. The Red Sox then fell behind 3-0 in the top of the third inning.
6) Rafael Devers’ grand slam in the third inning was Boston’s first grand slam since Aug. 19, 2023 when Luis Urias hit one on back-to-back days. He crushed it 442 feet to center field and it left his bat at 108.3 mph. Devers — who belted a walkoff homer Saturday — is on fire. He has gone 15-for-35 (.429) with three home runs, three doubles and 13 RBIs since principal owner John Henry flew to Kansas City for a meeting with him last Friday.
7) The Red Sox had just four hits in the final six innings after scoring four runs in the third.
8) The Red Sox will open a three-game series against the Mets on Monday. Cora will skip the game to attend his daughter’s Boston College graduation. Righty Hunter Dobbins (2-1, 3.90 ERA) will start for Boston opposite right-hander Kodai Senga (4-2, 1.02 ERA).
