SAN FRANCISCO -- While the most prominent headlines in a 3-2 loss by the Red Sox to the Giants on Saturday afternoon at Oracle Park were generated by a two-run homer from Rafael Devers, the most relevant storyline for Boston -- at least on a macro level -- is that Brayan Bello is dealing again.
And this is a big thing for the Red Sox, whose only certainty so far this season when it comes to the rotation is that Garrett Crochet will be dominant every fifth or sixth day.
Of late, Bello has joined Lucas Giolito as support starters behind Crochet who are starting to come around.
In defeat, Bello allowed four hits and three runs (one earned) while walking one and striking out six.
Over his last five starts, Bello has a 2.40 ERA while averaging six innings per outing.
The difference from earlier in the season when his results were inconsistent?
“Command of the fastball,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “I think that’s the most important thing. He's been able to spot it. The cutter is becoming a weapon for him. He looks strong. If it wasn't for the last [start of 114 pitches], I probably would have let him go out for the seventh, but obviously we're thinking of the long run, not just one game.”
This one game could have been much different if not for a damaging error by David Hamilton on a backhand attempt on a routine grounder by No. 9 hitter Andrew Knizner on what would have been the second out of the third inning.
The strikeout of Mike Yastrzemski should have ended the inning. Instead, Bello had to contend with the big bat of Devers.
Boston’s former slugger hit the first non-Red Sox homer of his career, going perfectly with a Bello fastball on the outer half of the strike zone and striking it to the opposite field in left.
“I felt good. I attacked him, [and] he hit a home run,” said Bello. “But I was able to get him out twice. He's a very good hitter.”
For Devers, the homer came just six days after the Red Sox traded him. Earlier that day, he smacked his 215th and final homer for Boston.
Bello gave Devers a salute type of nod when he stepped in and grounded out in the first. In the next at-bat, Devers got him.
"He’s my brother, but we know that once we cross the lines on the field, it’s a different story,” Devers said. “We’re just competing, and whoever wins, wins."
Unless there is a World Series matchup this October, the earliest Bello can get redemption is next season, when the Giants will come to Fenway at some point.
As for the error by Hamilton, it was his second in as many days that led to runs. On Friday night, he dropped a sinking liner, but then hit a two-run homer to lead the charge back in a 7-5 win for the Red Sox. He couldn’t make amends with his bat this time, going 0-for-3.
With Kristian Campbell getting optioned to Triple-A Worcester on Thursday’s off-day, the defensively superior Hamilton is getting just about all of the playing time at second base against righties. Something that will likely continue until Alex Bregman is activated from the injured list at some point in July, at which point Marcelo Mayer figures to shift from third to second.
For now, the Sox need Hamilton to play clean defense.
“That’s something, we’ll talk about it and keep working,” said Cora. “Obviously, we're not perfect, but he's a guy that we expect him to be an elite defender. Yesterday he missed a line drive. Today that was a backhand. Usually he’s able to handle it. We’ll keep working with him.”
Bello, who would get emotional earlier in his career when a bad break went against him, maintained his focus on Saturday. He cruised over his final three innings, holding the Giants scoreless.
One reason Bello is probably sleeping better these days is that he’s rediscovered his changeup, a key secondary pitch that he couldn’t find earlier in the season.
“They talk about certain things mechanically that he wasn't able to clear his delivery to create deception,” said Cora. “It's hard sometimes when your changeup is not good in between starts to use it in the next one. So little by little, the pitching group has done an amazing job with him in between starts to get it going, and it feels like we're getting there.”