I barely have the words to describe my excitement with this streak and my amazement with this team. I’m going to try.
Boy, these Red Sox are winning in every way possible. Yesterday with a starting gem and powerful offense in Game 1, then a bullpen game holding the line in Game 2. This afternoon’s bout did something different.
The beginning of this game was back-and-forth-two runs for the Rays, Sox snatch it right back; Sox grab one, Rays get one very soon thereafter. Jahmai Jones, welcome to Boston
with a two-run shot in his first start as a member of the Sox! Wilyer Abreu torched one over the center field fence, 435 feet, and that was the last time the Sox would have the lead for a bit. Yeah, the top of the 4th is when starter Patrick Sandoval collased, just dishing meatballs and giving the Rays a two-run lead. In the top of the 7th, Jonny DeLuca’s solo shot snuck into the Monster seats and it felt like the air deflated out of the crowd; it looked like this was the end.
Not so fast.
Andruw Monasterio opened the bottom of the seventh with a double. Jarren Duran reached on a fielding error by Rays first baseman Ryan Vilade combined with Cole Sulser not actually touching first base—a gift, but this team knows what to do with gifts. Masataka Yoshida pinch hit and grounded into a fielder’s choice that scored Monasterio. That’s one. Anthony Seigler strikes out, now there are two outs. Then Ceddanne Rafaela, down to two strikes, lined a double to make it a one-run ballgame.
The Rays went to Garrett Cleavinger. Whether the thinking was to get a lefty on lefty look against Abreu is a question for their dugout, just my hypothesis. Either way, it didn’t work. Full count. Fenway on its feet. Abreu demolished a two-run shot to the bullpen and both the crowd—and Abreu himself—completely lost it. 7-6. This is the type of frame that has defined this win streak. Don’t go down quietly.
Whitlock threw a clean eighth. Chapman walked two in the ninth—and made everyone in the ballpark chew their fingernails—then slammed the door for save number 21.
49-48. Twelve in a row. And for the first time since March, the Boston Red Sox are above .500. This was the first time all season the Red Sox have won a game being down three runs or more at some point—they were 0 and 34 before this. At some point you stop calling it a hot streak and just BELIEVE.
Studs
Wilyer Abreu (2-for-3, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R, 1 BB)
Four home runs in two games. The last Sox to have back-to-back multiple home run games was Mookie Betts in 2018. The solo shot in the third gave the Sox the lead. The two-run blast in the seventh won the game. Something has clicked for him over the last week that wasn’t completely there most of this season—harder contact, pulling the ball with authority, doing it against all types of pitching. The Sox need it to keep going. If you’re not watching Wilyer Abreu right now, you should be.
Jahmai Jones (1-for-1, HR, 2 RBI, 1 R)
Acquired this week for basically a bag of peanuts, pinch hit in Game 2 of yesterday’s doubleheader, and goes deep in his first start at Fenway Park. The two-run shot in the second off Seymour set the tone for the day, tying the game after going down 2-0 quickly. Walk into a clubhouse riding a 12-game win streak and maybe the nerves don’t hit the same way. Whatever the reason, Jones swung like he’d been there all summer. Well, for only one at-bat. T’is the life of a utility guy!
Ceddanne Rafaela (1-for-4, 2B, 1 RBI, 1 R)
The line is quiet but the hit was enormous. Down two with two outs and two strikes in the seventh, Rafaela poked a double down the line to make it a one-run game and set up the Abreu moment. That’s not an easy spot. Cedd was not giving that at-bat away. Also he continues to define what it means to be a Gold Glove defending center fielder.
Duds
Patrick Sandoval (5.0 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 5 K)
Nine hits in five innings is a lot. He kept the Rays to five runs and struck out five, which is good enough to give his team a chance—and the offense did the rest—but that’s not the outing you draw up. Hopefully a one-off and not a sign that opposing lineups are starting to figure him out. The only good thing is he got long enough and the Sox pulled it back to where they didn’t need to use Brayan Bello!
Anthony Seigler (0-for-4, 3 K)
A golden sombrero on a day when the offense scraped together just six hits. Not the time. He did have an awesome reaction to Willy’s game-winning homer.
Play of the Game
Do I even have to explain it? Of course it’s Wilyer Abreu’s second homer.
