Red Sox Erupt for 18 Runs in Spring Opener Rout of Northeastern
Ronald Rosario goes deep, the Sox drop a nine-spot in the sixth, and Boston opens camp 1–0 with an 18–3 demolition at JetBlue Park
Red Sox 18, Northeastern Huskies 3
February 20, 2026 – JetBlue Park (Fort Myers, FL)
Well… that escalated quickly.
After spotting the Huskies an early run in the first and briefly looking like a team still shaking the sunscreen out of its cleats, the Boston Red Sox turned this one into a full-blown Florida demolition derby.
Boston improves to 1–0 this spring with an 18–3 win over Northeastern. Yes, it’s an exhibition. Yes, it’s February. And yes… 18 runs still plays.
Game at a Glance
Early Sloppiness, Quick Response
Northeastern came out aggressive. Harrison Feinberg singled and stole second. Ryan Gerety knocked him in. Suddenly it was 1–0 Huskies before some fans had found their seats.
The second inning didn’t get prettier. Anthony Ruggiero stole his way around the bases and scored on a throwing error by Ronald Rosario, and the Huskies had a 2–1 lead.
Spring training baseball, baby. Fundamentals optional.
But in the bottom of the first, Masataka Yoshida ripped a ground-rule double and Kristian Campbell answered with an RBI single to tie it. That’s how you reset the tone without panicking.
Rosario Announces Himself
Bottom of the third: tie game, 2–2.
Then Ronald Rosario launched his first homer of the spring to center field. No cheapie. No wind-aided wall scraper. Just a confident swing and a ball that knew it was gone.
That tied the game and shifted momentum.
Two batters later, with runners on, Northeastern pitcher Scott Longo airmailed a throw that allowed Nate Eaton and Yoshida to score. Just like that, it was 4–2 Sox.
Spring training takeaway: if you give the Red Sox extra outs, they will take your lunch money.
Hickey, Romero, and the Avalanche
The fourth inning added to the chaos.
After a sac fly from Campbell made it 5–2, Nathan Hickey smoked a two-run double to center. Then Mikey Romero followed with an RBI triple.
That sequence pushed Boston to an 8–2 lead and made this feel less like a tune-up and more like batting practice with scoreboard consequences.
The 9-Run Sixth (a.k.a. “Call Animal Control”)
And then… the sixth inning happened.
Walk. Walk. Walk. Single. Single. HBP. Single. Single. Single. Sac fly.
Nine runs. Nine.
Highlights from the carnage:
Marvin Alcantara two-run single
Mickey Gasper RBI knock
Braiden Ward RBI single
Max Ferguson RBI single
Phillip Sikes two-run single
Corey Rosier RBI single
Jack Winnay sac fly
By the time it was over, Boston had blown it open to 18–2.
At one point it felt like everyone in uniform reached base. The lineup card probably needed a continuation sheet.
Pitching Notes
After early shakiness, the Sox arms settled down:
Wyatt Olds earned the win with a clean outing after replacing Max Carlson.
Noah Song worked efficiently and induced a double play.
The bullpen carousel kept the Huskies quiet until a harmless run in the seventh.
The defense wasn’t flawless (two errors), but the strike-throwing improved as the game went on, and the bats made sure it didn’t matter.
Top Performers
Ronald Rosario: 2-for-2, HR, RBI, 2 R
Braiden Ward: 1-for-2, HBP, 2 RBI, 2 R, SB
Phillip Sikes: 1-for-1, BB, 2 RBI, 2 R
Nathan Hickey: Two-run double
Mikey Romero: RBI triple
Depth guys? Check. Young talent? Check. Chaos offense? Absolutely.
The Marcelo Mayer Angle
The larger storyline hovering over camp is Marcelo Mayer and whether he claims an everyday role.
The opportunity is there. The pedigree is undeniable. But this spring is less about projection and more about production. The roster crunch won’t wait for reputation.
Tonight wasn’t about Mayer specifically. It was about a lineup full of players trying to force conversations.
That’s what you want in February.
Final Thoughts
Yes, it’s early. Yes, it’s college competition. No, this doesn’t guarantee anything in April.
But scoring 18 runs, stacking quality at-bats, and seeing multiple prospects contribute? That’s exactly how you want to open camp.
If the Red Sox are going to surprise people in 2026, it’s going to start with internal competition pushing the roster forward.
Tonight? Mission accomplished.
Am I allowed to be happy? I hope so. After the USA Hockey blowout, and this, I'm positively beaming. It feels strange.