Brayan Bello tosses complete game gem; Red Sox bury the Rockies 10-2

Entering his start on Tuesday night, Red Sox right-hander Brayan Bello had one complete game under his belt.

On September 25, 2022, he pitched a rain-shortened six-inning outing against the Yankees, earning him the credit for a complete game. Bello had yet to throw a legitimate complete game over the course of his big league career.

After 82 Major League starts, Bello finally achieved his first nine-inning complete game, leading the Red Sox to a 10-2 victory over the Rockies at Fenway Park.

Bello was perfect through the first 3 1/3 innings, needing just seven pitches in the first inning, retiring the Rockies 1-2-3. He struck out two in the first, he fanned the side in the second, and he added two more strikeouts in the third. The Rockies broke up the perfect game bid when All-Star catcher Hunter Goodman smoked a grounder to deep third base, which kicked off Nate Eaton’s glove, ruling it a single.

“Really good, especially early on,” Alex Cora said after the game. “The first third of the game, he was on point. Got some swing-and-misses, was on top of hitters, got ahead, stayed ahead, and buried them. He was really good.”

Bello gave up five hits, two over the first eight innings, and struck out a season-high 10 batters. He got 15 swings-and-misses, including five on a changeup, and he had better command of the pitch than at any other point this season.

“My changeup was very good today,” Bello said. “I feel like I have the feeling back for my changeup. I’m able to command it and also throw it whenever I want. For me to have that extra weapon is very good.”

As Bello continued to carve up the Rockies’, Boston’s lineup was held scoreless by Rockies’ southpaw Kyle Freeland through 5 2/3 innings. In the sixth, Romy Gonzalez singled to right field with one out, and Roman Anthony then walked. Trevor Story singled into right field, scoring Gonzalez and forcing Freeland from the game. Ceddanne Rafaela added a two-run double.

The Red Sox attacked the Rockies' bullpen as Story hit a three-run homer during a six-run seventh. Jarren Duran belted a 456-foot homer, the longest of his career and the longest by any player at Fenway Park this season. It surpassed the 454-homer hit by Gonzalez on Monday.

“I don’t usually look at the numbers like that, but Romy smacked me on the chest and goes, ‘Thanks, dude,’ ” Duran said. “I didn’t really know why until I asked him about it when I got inside. He goes, ‘You couldn’t let me have it more than 24 hours?’ A homer is a homer. Putting those quality swings together, letting things happen.”

With a huge lead, Cora continued to push Bello looking to go the distance against the Rockies. 

“I didn’t know the New York game was a complete game and counted as a complete game,” Bello said through translator Carlos Villoria Benítez. “I always wanted to have a complete game, and to be able to complete it tonight was huge.”

Bello threw 77 pitches through seven innings, allowing another hit in the eighth inning. Cora allowed his young righty to take the mound in the ninth inning with just 86 pitches thrown. Bello walked out of the dugout and headed to the mound looking for the complete game.

“I tried not to show too much emotion in the ninth inning so I was able to complete it,” Bello said through an interpreter. “Inside, I was very happy and very emotional.

After allowing three hits (two singles and a homer to Goodman) to the first four batters he faced in the ninth, Bello was visited by Sox’ pitching coach Andrew Bailey with recently recalled reliever Isaiah Campbell warming in the bullpen. The Fenway Faithful looked on nervously, hoping Bello would shut down the Rockies in the ninth. The fans in the crowd weren’t the only ones wanting Bello to get his special moment.

“I saw Campbell get up, and I was thinking in my head, ‘A.C., if you pull Bello right now, I’m gonna have a word with you after the game,’” Duran joked after the game. “I would have to try and stop Bello because the way he was going, I feel like he would have fought to stay out there. Truthfully, I feel like if A.C. came out, Bello would have put up a good enough fight. A.C. would have been like, ‘Get it done then. Don’t waste this mound visit.’”

Campbell wasn’t needed, as Bello got Michael Toglia to line up and then struck out Ryan McMahan to end the game on his 107th pitch of the night.

“He was efficient, so I wasn’t going to take him out,” Cora said. “We put some good innings to expand the lead, but he was under control today the whole time.”

Bello’s gem continues to paint the picture of a pitcher who has been strong on the mound since the beginning of June. He owns a 2.78 ERA in seven games (45 1/3 innings over that span), and he’s struck out 36 batters.

“Super happy to be able to enter into the ninth and be able to complete it. It was a dream come true,” he said.

After starting the season on the injured list, the 26-year-old is beginning to pay dividends on the extension the Red Sox signed him to two years ago.

“We made a huge commitment with him, betting on the upside,” said Cora. “Little by little, physically and mentally, as far as pitchability, he keeps growing, and he keeps getting better.”

Bello will make one more start before the All-Star break, starting against the Rays on Sunday. He will have one more opportunity to pitch well and cap off a strong first half of the season.

“He always wants more... It’s a big one for him,” said Cora. “It’s huge.”