Braves 8, Red Sox 1

 

What'd ya expect? The 2026 Red Sox were lucky to get out of Truist Park with one win in this series.

For five innings yesterday, starter Brayan Bello was giving out runs like an Atlanta traffic cop issuing parking tickets. By the time he was relieved in the bottom of the sixth, the score was already 7-0 and the Braves had two home runs off him. They got another run in the eighth without a single hit on a combination of walks, a fielder's choice, and a sac fly. It wasn't until the ninth inning that Nick Sogard, called back up again from the minors to replace an injured Trevor Story, hit an RBI double scoring catcher Conner Wong.

Tampa Bay won last night, so the Sox (19-27) are back to 11½ out from first place in the AL East. Hilariously, they're still only three back in the AL Wild Card race.

The Red Sox are off to Kansas City for a three-game series against the Royals (20-27), a team only a half-game ahead of them in the Wild Card standings. Sonny Gray (4-1, 3.18) starts for Boston against Seth Lugo (1-3, 3.76). Gray has basically owned the Royals up to now, going 9-0 in 11 starts, striking out 63 and giving up only one home run in 68 innings. Lugo, on the other hand, is 0-4 against the Sox and has given up five homers to Boston. 

We might actually have a chance in this game.