Phillies 2, Red Sox 1: Brayan Bello's bounce back squandered by bleak bats

"But do you know what surprised me the most about tonight? The Red Sox almost won. On paper, this game should have been a rocking chair victory for Philadelphia, and instead the game ended with a drama filled ninth inning where, less surprisingly, the Red Sox bats failed to deliver once again. But just under the surface of another pitiful night at the plate were signs that this Red Sox team might be on the verge of turning a corner."

"They include: Brayan Bello pitching well again in the bulk role On a night with no Roman Anthony or Willson Contreras, Wilyer Abreu came up in a big spot in the seventh inning, worked an eight pitch at bat, and hit a ball that would have been a home run in 29 of the 30 ballparks. The result sucked, but that had all the makings of a game changing moment. The defense once again looked as solid as ever and kept the listless offense in the game. Marcelo Mayer smoked a ball 106mph with the tying run on third to end the seventh inning."

"Tonight, some of the highlights lowlights included: Batting Mickey Gasper - A 30-year-old with a career .495 OPS - second in the lineup. The bats lasting a grand totals of just 16 pitches at the plate over the first three innings. The team once again failing to generate the hit they desperately needed late in the contest as the tying run was stranded in scoring position in each of the final three innings. Scoring two runs or fewer for the tenth time in the last 14 games at Fenway Park."

The Red Sox suffered another loss with an anemic offense, including a low number of pitches seen early, repeated failures to produce key late hits, and scoring two runs or fewer frequently at Fenway Park. Despite expectations of a Philadelphia win, the game stayed close into a dramatic ninth inning. Brayan Bello pitched well in a bulk role, and Wilyer Abreu delivered a high-leverage seventh-inning at-bat with a ball that would have been a home run in most parks. The defense remained solid and helped keep the offense from falling further behind. Marcelo Mayer hit a 106 mph ball with the tying run on third to end the seventh inning, offering signs of potential momentum.

Read at Over the Monster