Earlier this season, when the Boston Red Sox were struggling, a late-game deficit would have meant a loss. When the Red Sox trailed after the seventh or eighth inning, a loss was incoming. You can’t say that anymore.
Since going on a winning streak of 15 and nine games, Boston has found several different ways to pull out wins late in games. However, one of their bigger magic acts took place on Saturday night at Fenway Park.
Trailing the San Francisco Giants 2-0, heading into the bottom of the ninth, things looked bleak. Giants rookie Blade Tidwell shut them down to the tune of three hits and seven strikeouts over 5.2 innings. San Francisco’s bullpen was just as good until the bottom of the ninth.
Caleb Durbin drew a leadoff walk from Dylan Smith. First-year manager Tony Vitello summoned Sam Hentges from the bullpen. Jahami Jones was hit by a pitch, and Andruw Monasterio reached on a fielder’s choice. Eli White delivered an RBI single, and Nick Sogard tied the game with an RBI double. After Ceddanne Rafaela was intentionally walked, Wilyer Abreu won the game on a fielder’s choice RBI. Just like that, another stunning walk-off win.
Boston Red Sox Interim Manager Chad Tracy Drops Honest Quote After Win Over Giants
In MLB, they say that the hardest out to get is the 27th out. San Francisco would agree. Three outs away from forcing a rubber game on Sunday afternoon, the Red Sox were able to steal a win to close the gap on the New York Yankees. Interim manager Chad Tracy didn’t mince words following the win.
“We might lose,” Tracy said, per Tim Healey of the Boston Globe. “But you’re going to get our best all the way down to the last strike, the last pitch. And they’ve been doing that for a while.”
They have been doing that for a while. It’s a big reason they have gone from the basement of the American League standings to the second AL wild-card spot. They are three games behind the Yankees for home-field advantage in the American League Wild Card round next month.
“To be able to come back and steal that win — that was a pretty electric last couple of innings for sure,” said Tracy, per Ian Browne of MLB.com.
Red Sox Go for Sweep of Giants Before Road Trip
Boston will send left-hander Jake Bennett to the mound on Sunday, looking for a sweep. He is 7-6 with a 3.46 ERA. Vitello and the Giants will counter with left-hander Matt Wilkinson, who will be making his second appearance of the season.
After the game, Boston will head to South Florida for a three-game series with the Miami Marlins, before a pivotal four-game series against the Yankees in the Bronx over three days. Next Saturday (August 29) will be a day/night doubleheader. Those four games will go a long way toward determining who ends up hosting the wild-card series.
Both teams are within striking distance of the Tampa Bay Rays for first place in the AL East, but catching them could be tough with just over a month left in the regular season.
Red Sox Interim Manager Chad Tracy Has Blunt Message After Win Over Giants