Ah yes, the once in a blue moon offensive firepower game that makes us want deliriously to believe again! We’re at that point in the torture cycle of this 2026 season. Still, I’ll take an entertaining game of baseball any day over the dreck we’ve seen lately by this Boston Red Sox squad.
The top of the first inning felt too ominous with Wyatt Langford singling home Joc Pederson to give the Rangers an early 1-0 lead.
Somehow, that’s all the push the Rangers would muster in this one. And it wouldn’t
take long for the Sox to respond!
A Wilyer sac fly (credits to Chad Epperson for an aggressive send of Rafaela) and a Contreras bomb gave Boston the lead and they frankly didn’t look back. Four runs poured on in the fifth, and four more between the eighth and ninth and this game was done and dusted.
For once as well, the lineup made every opposing pitcher look weak in some way, shape or form. Jack Leiter was overthrowing and overextending and instead of an aggressive approach where they wouldn’t stretch him out, they let Leiter keep it up. Two walks, eight hits, and 103 pitches for the righty in just five frames is an approach the offense should take more often! Let guys who are making mistakes of their own keep making them. Cal Quantrill and Luis Curvelo were also no match, neither coming out unscathed.
Revel in this win tonight, it’s deGrom vs Suarez tomorrow!
Studs
Ceddanne Rafaela (3-for-5, 3 RBI, 3 runs scored)
Wilyer Abreu (3-for-4, 3 RBI, 3 runs scored)
Willson Contreras (3-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 runs scored)
I’m going to lump these three guys together here because this was the crux of the offense on Friday night. After making terrible history with the 1-2-3 guys in Tampa Bay, the 2-3-4 hitters came through and then some in the Fenway greens!
Sonny Gray (6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 7 Ks)
If you stopped watching in the first inning of this one, you probably saw a very different Sonny Gray than the latter five frames he pitched. After he settled in on the mound, he was absolutely lights out.
Duds
The bottom half of the lineup
For as great as the top of the order was, the bottom of the order scrapped together two combined hits, one of you consider Duran in the middle of the order. Not saying everyone needs to contribute, just a quiet part of the lineup tonight.
Play of the Game
Honestly, every homer belongs here. I love seeing some power out of these guys.
