Red Sox Bullpen Falters as Brewers Take Game 1 Despite Offensive Production

[Jakob Kazlauskas]

The Boston Red Sox dropped Game 1 of the series to the Milwaukee Brewers in a game that once again highlighted issues with pitching depth and execution. While the offense showed flashes and put together 10 hits, it wasn’t enough to overcome early command problems and a taxed bullpen.

Brayan Bello got the start and had a mixed outing. He worked through three scoreless innings, but command issues were present from the beginning as the Brewers consistently had runners in scoring position in each of those frames. Trouble finally caught up to him in the fourth inning, where he allowed a single, a walk, a sacrifice bunt, and another walk to load the bases. A ground ball from William Contreras led to a fielding error by Caleb Durbin at third, opening the door and shifting momentum. Bello finished with 3.1 innings pitched, allowing 5 hits, 3 earned runs, 4 walks, and 5 strikeouts.

The Red Sox offense got going early in the first inning when Roman Anthony doubled and was driven in by a Trevor Story RBI single. They added more in the third when Anthony singled, Masataka Yoshida walked, and the bases were loaded after a hit-by-pitch. Wilyer Abreu brought in a run on a force out, and Story added a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0.

After Bello exited, Danny Coulombe came in and struggled to limit damage. He allowed two infield singles, including one from Christian Yelich and another from Garrett Mitchell, tying the game at 3-3. A four-pitch walk then gave the Brewers a 4-3 lead before he was able to escape further trouble.

The Red Sox responded in the bottom of the fourth. Caleb Durbin doubled and later scored after an error by David Hamilton. Yoshida followed with a single, and then Wilson Contreras continued his huge night at the plate. He finished 3-for-3 with a home run, a double, and 2 RBIs, providing the biggest offensive spark for Boston.

Jovani Moran provided some length out of the bullpen, going 3 innings and allowing just 1 earned run, which came on a force out in the fifth inning to tie the game at 5-5. Garrett Whitlock followed and allowed his first earned run of the season on an RBI single by Mitchell, with another run scoring due to a throwing error by Roman Anthony.

The Brewers continued to add on late, including an RBI single from Sal Frelick, who had a strong game going 2-for-4, helping extend the lead.

Milwaukee’s offense was led by Yelich, who went 3-for-4 with a double, RBI, and a walk. Mitchell added a strong performance going 2-for-5 with 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored.

For Boston, Wilson Contreras remained the standout, not only going 3-for-3 but also adding a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth. Roman Anthony went 2-for-5 and continued to produce offensively, though his arm in the outfield was tested throughout the game. Caleb Durbin recorded his first multi-hit game with the Red Sox, going 2-for-4 with a double. Yoshida, starting in place of Jarren Duran, went 1-for-3 with 2 walks and looked comfortable in the two spot. Story also contributed with a hit and 2 RBIs, showing signs that the five-hole may be a good fit for him.

Despite tallying 10 hits and only striking out 4 times, the Red Sox struggled in key moments, going just 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position. Marcelo Mayer continues to struggle, now hitless in his last 10 at-bats since his big game at the Fenway opener.

The biggest concern continues to be pitching. Bello’s inability to command the zone and go deeper into the game put immediate pressure on the bullpen. With starters not providing length, it becomes increasingly difficult for relievers to hold leads over multiple innings.

Boston will now look to bounce back in Game 2, with hopes that Garrett Crochet can provide a strong outing. The Red Sox need to find consistency quickly if they want to turn this series around.