Last week Bob Melvin said that the closer battle was between Brian Fuentes and Grant Balfour. Melvin announced today that Balfour is his huckleberry.
This was really a battle between a Proven Closer and, you know, the better pitcher, with Fuentes being the former and Balfour the latter. Fuentes had problems last year. Balfour was better, throwing 62 innings with a 2.47 ERA and 59/20 K/BB ratio.
Red Sox center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. scaled the center field fence to rob Padres shortstop Luis Urías of a solo home run in the fourth inning of Sunday afternoon’s game. Urías was trying to take advantage of a 0-1 slider from Ryan Brasier. Had Bradley not made the grab, the Padres’ lead would have been extended to 4-1.
Unfortunately for the Red Sox, they weren’t able to take advantage of Bradley’s effort, dropping Sunday’s contest 3-1. They still won the series against the Padres, however. The Sox will continue their road trip for two games against the Rockies followed by three versus the Angels.
