"Biologically Incapable Of Losing": Unstoppable Red Sox Are 26-3 and 31-5 After Astonishing 13-Inning Walkoff; Postseason Odds Up From 9% to 97%

Since the Red Sox lost to the Rockies way back on June 24, the team has won 31 of 36 games, a streak that includes a franchise-tying 15-game winning streak. It is the best 36-game stretch in team history.

Boston is 17-0 against first-place teams in that span, and is the first team to record six sweeps of first-place teams in one season since divisional play began in 1969 – and they accomplished that feat over only six weeks.

June 25-28:       Swept 4 games from first-place Yankees
July 7-9:         Swept 3 games from first-place White Sox
July 17-19:       Swept 4 games from first-place Rays
July 31-August 2: Swept 3 games from first-place Dodgers
August 4-6:       Swept 3 games from first-place White Sox

The Red Sox have won nine straight series, the second-longest streak in team history; the 1912 team won 11 consecutive series from August 4 to September 15, 1912.

Boston has won its last 28 games in which they score at least four runs. And the Red Sox have won 26 of their last 29 games, something only three other teams have accomplished in the last 73 seasons (1977 Royals, 2002 Athletics, 2017 Clevelands).

Boston's record stands at 63-51; they are five games behind Tampa Bay and a mere half-game behind the Yankees. While Boston has gone 31-5, the Rays have gone 24-15 (third best in MLB). A 63-51 record would easily lead both the AL Central (by four games) and AL West (by five games).

After games of June  24: 1st Yankees (48-31), 15.5 GA of 5th Red Sox (32-46)
After games of August 6: 2nd Yankees (64-51),  0.5 GA of 3rd Red Sox (63-51)

Since June 24, the Red Sox are fifth in MLB in on-base percentage, fourth in slugging percentage and third in runs scored. Before their hot streak started, they were projected to have a 9% chance of making the postseason. Those odds now stand at 96.1%, with a 15.3% chance of winning the pennant and a 7% chance of winning the World Series.

J.P. Long (@SoxNotes) states: "The Red Sox are the 26th team in the World Series Era (1903-present) to go 30-5 or better in a 35-game stretch. Each of the other 25 made the Postseason (10 of them won the World Series)."

Boston's 12-11 victory last night at Fenway (against the AL-Central leading White Sox) was the most impressive victory in [fill in the blank] years:

Chicago White Sox – 004 120 000 211 0 – 11 13  1
Boston Red Sox    – 002 301 001 211 1 – 12 16  2

I've loved looking at linescores for all sorts of oddities for nearly a half-century, and it fuckin kills me  that I can no longer enjoy extra-inning linescores because Commissioner Asshole Motherfucker decided that one of the most foundational rules of the game should suddenly change – for no meaningful or logical reason and no observable or measurable benefit – if there is a tenth (or later) inning. It means I can't fully enjoy the Red Sox's linescore above, or this minor league game from roughly a month ago (July 4):

Great Lakes - 000 300 020 121 21 - 12 17  3
Fort Wayne  - 120 000 000 121 22 - 13 15  1

If this had happened when all innings were created equal, it would be mind-blowing. Instead, it's a cute curiosity.

The quote in the post title comes from Reddit: "This team is biologically incapable of losing. I have no idea what happened to them."

Meanwhile, in MFY-land: