BOSTON (AP) — Red Sox manager Alex Cora has been proclaiming recently that he didn't think his team was far from putting good baseball together following a dismal stretch of games.
Those days of optimism appear to be dwindling after Boston's latest setback.
The Red Sox lost their 17th one-run game of the season on Tuesday, this time falling 4-3 to the Los Angeles Angels in 10 innings filled with missed opportunities, poor execution defensively and another inconsistent night from the bullpen. It was their eighth loss in 10 games. They are now 9-10-1 in series play, including 4-5-1 at Fenway Park.
“We keep making the same mistakes. We’re not getting better,” Cora said after the game. “At one point it has to be on me I guess. I’m the manager. I’ve got to keep pushing them to be better. They're not getting better. They're not. We keep making the same mistakes. I'll be honest about it and very open about it."
Tuesday's loss came a night after Boston also lost by a run to an Angels team that had lost seven of eight and three consecutive series.
The game started out with some promise.
Starting pitcher Brayan Bello pitched a scoreless first to snap a four-game streak of Boston pitchers allowing at least one run in the opening inning.
But then the Angels took a 3-0 lead in the third inning via an RBI single by Zach Neto and a two-run single by Nolan Schanuel.
Boston got one run back during its half of the inning but failed to close the gap more despite having runners on second and third base with no outs.
The Red Sox outhit the Angels for the second straight game. But also also committed three fielding errors.
“You get frustrated, but at one point, OK, what are you going to do? What's going to change? We keep doing the same thing," Cora said.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
Los Angeles Angels' Zach Neto runs for home as a hit by Nolan Schanuel gets through Boston Red Sox third baseman Abraham Toro (29) and shortstop Trevor Story (10) in the third inning of a baseball game, Tuesday June 3, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
Los Angeles Angels' Zach Neto slides home on a hit by Nolan Schanuel in the third inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Tuesday June 3, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Saddiq Bey scored 21 of his season-high 29 points after halftime, and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame a 25-point, third-quarter deficit to beat the Houston Rockets 133-128 in overtime on Thursday night.
Trey Murphy scored 27 points and Herb Jones had 18 points and a career-high eight steals before fouling out for the Pelicans, who've won three straight after winning just three of their first 25 games.
The 25-point comeback tied a franchise high and was the largest second-half comeback in franchise history, which dates back to the 2002-03 season.
Jordan Poole scored 15 points, capped by two free throws with 12 seconds left in overtime that put the Pelicans up 131-128. Houston's Reed Sheppard missed two shots from 3-point range in the final seconds before Bey got the rebound and hit game-sealing free throws with 2 seconds left in the extra period as a jubilant crowd that had been on its feet since the final minutes of regulation celebrated the unlikely comeback.
Kevin Durant scored 32 points and Alperen Sengun had 28 for Houston, but Sengun was unable to get off a shot for the win after dribbling into the paint in the final seconds of regulation.
Sengun missed two free throws with 43 seconds left in the fourth quarter, allowing New Orleans to complete the second-half comeback and tie it at 117 on Bey's driving finger roll with 31 seconds to play.
Rookie Derik Queen had 16 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks, and his 18-foot jumper sparked an 11-0 run early in the fourth quarter. The surge ended with Bey's dunk and pulled the Pelicans to 101-96.
Durant helped Houston dominate early by scoring 13 points in the first quarter, hitting his first five shots, including three 3s.
The Pelicans, by contrast, missed 20 of 29 shots in the paint during the first half.
Durant had 18 points by halftime, when Houston led 67-45.
New Orleans methodically trimmed its deficit to 13 in the third quarter before entering the fourth quarter trailing 99-83.
Rockets: At the Denver Nuggets on Saturday.
Pelicans: Host the Indiana Pacers on Saturday.
AP NBA: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NBA
New Orleans Pelicans guard Saddiq Bey, right, reacts after dunking against the Houston Rockets during the second half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)
New Orleans Pelicans guard Saddiq Bey (41) dunks against Houston Rockets guard Aaron Holiday (0) near Pelicans center Derik Queen (22) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)
New Orleans Pelicans guards Jose Alvarado, top, and Saddiq Bey, bottom, celebrate as they take the lead in the final seconds of overtime against the Houston Rockets during an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)
Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) and New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, center right, battle for the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)
New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III, center, shoots against Houston Rockets center Steven Adams (12) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)
Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant, lrft, shoots against New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III, top right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)
Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) shoots a 3-point basket against New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III (25) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)
Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (10) shoots against New Orleans Pelicans guard Saddiq Bey (41) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)
