BOSTON — From the very beginning of the season, the Red Sox handled momentum about as well as a slippery bar of soap. Just when you think they have a hold of it, they fumble it away.
Over the weekend, they took two-of-three in Atlanta from the Braves and arrived home for a brief three-game homestand against the thoroughly mediocre Los Angeles Angels.
Within minutes, however, the Red Sox found themselves behind with yet another leadoff homer allowed. And that was just the start – before the top of the first could come to a merciful end, the Angels had become the first visiting team in the 113-year history of Fenway to slug three homers in the first inning.
To their credit, the Red Sox nearly dug themselves out of the 6-0 home they had dug for themselves. A run in the third and four more in the fifth put them right back in the game.
So after climbing that mountain, after scrapping back to pull within a run, take a wild guess what happened in the top half of the next inning? If you guessed “fell behind further and squandered the momentum they had been building,” you, too, have watched entirely too much of this team this year.
The ballpark had been buzzing, energized by the four runs the Red Sox scored while sending eight men to the plate and chasing starter Tyler Anderson.
The Angels were into the bullpen in the middle of the game, something Cora has preached about for weeks.
And then, just when it seemed like this might have the makings of one of the more impressive comeback victories of the season, Jo Adell cracked a homer on the very first pitch.
That sound you heard was the energy being immediately let out of the ballpark.
“It’s been like that the whole season,” lamented Cora after his team dropped a 7-6 decision. “We played well in Kansas City, then first game in Detroit was a tough one…We’re not far off; I truly believe that. But we have to make sure we start off series the right way. We did in Atlanta. We won the first one and we won the series.
“That first game, first inning, we have to be better. There’s two aspects, pitching-wise, that have caught my attention — the first inning, and the bottom of (the opponents’) lineup. We have to be better at that. Hopefully, tomorrow’s the start.”
Cora wasn’t kidding about not being able to shut down the lower third of teams’ lineups: Monday night, the final three spots in the Angels batting order produced three hits (two homers), two runs and two RBI.
Only the 2025 Red Sox could fall behind 6-0 in the first and still find a way to add to their ever-growing number of one-run losses. They’re at 16 and counting.
Interestingly, both Cora and Jarren Duran (three hits including two doubles) had the same theory about why the Red Sox have lost so many close games: youth and inexperience.
“Some young guys playing, some at-bats that are going to get better with experience,” offered Cora.
“We’ve been in a lot of close games, but we just have to get over that hump,” said Duran. “We’ve got a lot of young guys who are just learning to compete at this level. I know when I first came up at this level, I was scared to death to make a mistakes and play. So I’m just trying to pass that on to the young guys, like. ‘Hey bro, you’re going to be a big part of this — just keep going….I want you to play fearless. Don’t have any fear, because that’s when you make mistakes or stuff like that happens.’
“I just know how it was when I was young. I was terrified. And they’re starting every single game, which is crazy because they’re that good. I wasn’t that good when I first came up. I know we’re going to hit our stride eventually, where those guys figure it out. Because they’re figuring it out at the big league level. These guys are learning every single day. It’s only a matter of time before it clicks for them. And it’s going to be awesome to see.”
Until then, however, the Red Sox need a makeshift solution. They can’t be in a position where only two teams (Colorado and the Athletics) have allowed more runs in the first inning.
They can’t, in more than a third of their games including Monday when Richard Fitts lasted just one frame, have their starting pitcher fail to get through five innings.
And they can’t rely so heavily on unproven players, be there highly touted rookies like Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer, or career journeyman without much experience playing on an everyday basis.
Of course, for now, they don’t have much choice. Which suggests that momentum will continue to be elusive.
