The Red Sox (49-31) have won five in a row and they have a two-game lead in the American League East. They are second in MLB in wins; the San Francisco Giants are 50-29.
Last night, hosting the Royals at Fenway Park, the Red Sox trailed 0-1, led 2-1, were tied 2-2, led 3-2, trailed 3-4, led 5-4, trailed 5-6, led 7-6 ─ and then relied on the bullpen to keep the score that way for the final three innings. They did, giving Boston its 27th come-from-behind win, best in the majors.
Boston's relievers gave not allowed an earned run in the last three games (11 innings). In the first five games of the current seven-game homestand, they have an ERA of 0.51 (one earned run in 17.2 innings).
Even though their starting pitcher has been unable to last five innings in 10 of their last 21 games (as Nick Pivetta failed to do last night), the Red Sox have a 13-8 record in that time.
J.D. Martinez (2-for-2, 2 walks) drove in four runs, including the team's last two, with an opposite-field double, which wiped out the Royals' 6-5 lead and put Boston ahead to stay. Martinez has reached base in each of his last 18 games ─ and Xander Bogaerts (who singled and walked last night) has reached in his last 24 games, which ties Alex Verdugo for the longest Red Sox streak this season.
In New York, Shohei Ohtani homered twice, continuing his astonishing season (he leads the majors with 28 home runs and will bring his 2.58 ERA to the mound on Wednesday for his 12th start), but the Yankees managed not to lose. Which, in light of Brian Cashman's admission the day before, produced this amusing headline in the Post:
Joe Kelly traded his actual game jersey for this fan’s mariachi jacket
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) June 29, 2021
(via @mgarijc) pic.twitter.com/vGSrTFDD5D
Craig Calcaterra: "After the game a bunch of people online were saying stuff like 'is this the win that snaps the Yankees out of their funk?' While, sure, I suppose it could be, it's also the case that the Orioles beat the Astros by ten runs last night and that's not a harbinger of anything, so maybe just wait and see."
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