ATLANTA -- Dead last in the American League East, the Boston Red Sox were due for a hard look in the mirror.
That's where manager Alex Cora thinks he found the problem.
The Red Sox manager has shaved the salt-and-pepper beard he grew prior to this season, hoping a new vibe might help Boston snap its season-worst five-game losing streak. Cora arrived clean shaven for Tuesday night's opener of a two-game series in Atlanta, and he was willing to pin his team's 10-19 start on his new look.
"If we win 10 in a row, it's on me because I should have recognized that before," Cora said with a smile.