BOSTON — Instant reactions from the Red Sox’ 4-3 loss in 10 innings to the Angels at Fenway Park on Tuesday:
1) The Red Sox dropped to 6-17 in one-run games. Down 4-3 in the 10th, pinch hitter Carlos Narváez and Trevor Story both struck out swinging against Angels left-handed reliever Reid Detmers. Ceddanne Rafaela popped out to first base to end the game. Boston is five games under .500 at 29-34.
“We keep making the same mistakes,” manager Alex Cora said postgame. “We’re not getting better. At one point it has to be on me I guess, right? I’m the manager. I’ve gotta keep pushing them to get better. They’re not getting better. They’re not. We keep making the same mistakes.”
2) Zack Kelly pitched the 10th inning for Boston in a 3-3 game. He made an error on Nolan Schanuel’s bunt back to the mound, putting runners at the corners. The automatic runner went to third. He walked Mike Trout to load the bases. But he somehow escaped, allowing just one run. He got Taylor Ward to ground into a double play and Jorge Soler to pop out to second base.
3) The Angels got what they deserved after walking Trevor Story — a .219 hitter — to begin the sixth inning. Ceddanne Rafaela, the next batter, crushed a 426-foot game-tying home run over the Green Monster.
4) Rafaela’s homer, which made it 3-3, had a 112.1 mph exit velocity. It was the longest and hardest hit ball of his career. His previous highs were 420 feet and 109.1 mph.
5) Brayan Bello failed to make it through five innings in each of his previous five starts. But he pitched 6 innings in this one, allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out four.
6) Bello was better overall. But some concerning trends continued. He hit No. 8 hitter Jo Adell and walked No. 9 hitter Chris Taylor to begin the three-run third inning. He also induced just six swings and misses on 103 pitches.
) Ceddanne Rafaela’s throwing error in the third inning helped the Angels to a 3-0 lead. Zach Neto hit an RBI single up the middle. Rafaela decided to throw home but his throw sailed all the way to the backstop. That allowed Chris Taylor to advance from second to third base and Neto to move up to second.
Both Taylor and Neto scored on Nolan Schanuel’s two-run single to left field.
7) Boston got a runner thrown out at the plate to end the second inning. Abraham Toro, who walked, tried to score from first base on Ceddanne Rafaela’s double to left-center field. But a perfect 8-6-2 relay got Toro by a couple of steps at home.
8) Boston’s situational hitting was not good in the third inning after Jarren Duran’s RBI double cut the deficit to 3-1. Boston failed to score after putting runners at second and third base with no outs. Rafael Devers struck out swinging. Rob Refsnyder walked to load the bases. Romy Gonzalez struck out swinging and Abraham Toro grounded out to first base.
9) Kristian Campbell’s double in the third inning was just his second extra-base hit since April 29. Would the Red Sox consider sending Campbell to Triple-A to figure out his slump there? Manager Alex Cora said before the game, “We want him to get it here. That’s the most important thing. We don’t rule anything out. But right now he’s gonna play here and he’s gonna get at-bats here and we’re gonna keep pushing him to be better.”
10) Boston made three errors. Campbell had a fielding error and Rafaela had a throwing error. Kelly also had a fielding error in the 10th. Boston leads the majors in errors with 53. They have had 16 multi-error games, including 10 at Fenway.
11) The Red Sox and Angels will play the final game of their three-game series Wednesday at 1:35 p.m. Righty Lucas Giolito (1-1, 4.78) will start for Boston opposite Angels righty José Soriano (4-5, 3.41 ERA).
