Again, it doesn’t matter, but the Red Sox beat the Rangers on Thursday night, 4-3, and lowered their magic number to clinch a Wild Card spot to three.
The game looked like it would be more of the same down in Texas, as the Rangers jumped out to an early lead against Sonny Gray. A solo homer by Josh Jung in the first, followed by a pair of runs in the second that all stemmed from back-to-back walks to lead off the frame, had the Sox staring at a sweep at the hands of the Rangers.
Gray was able to regain his form and complete 6.1 innings, allowing only those three runs, but the offense appeared content to sit this game out for the majority of it. In fact, after the rocky beginning, Gray allowed just one more hit the rest of the night and kept the Red Sox within striking distance.
The Sox bats didn’t record a hit until the fourth, when Willson Contreras singled to right-center field. Two more scoreless innings followed until Boston was finally able to manufacture a run thanks to a pair of walks to Nate Eaton and Caleb Durbin, followed by a deep fly ball from Nick Sogard and then a slow fielder’s-choice groundout by Roman Anthony.
In the top of the eighth, Boston finally broke through for a crooked number, again thanks in part to some wildness by the Rangers’ pitching staff.
Wilyer Abreu worked a leadoff walk, and then Contreras was drilled on the hand by a pitch. After Adley Rutschman fouled out to first, Trevor Story got a breaking ball that didn’t dive quite far enough out of the zone and drove it over the left-field fence for his second hit of the day and a three-run homer to give Boston a 4-3 lead.
From there, Wyatt Olds, Alec Gamboa, and Garrett Whitlock combined to shut out the Rangers over the final two innings to secure Boston’s 83rd win of the season.
Some Good, Some Bad
Sonny Gray’s outing had a little bit of everything. It didn’t necessarily leave me with great vibes about his forthcoming playoff appearance, but at the same time, he showed some resilience and gumption to get into the seventh inning and keep the Sox in the game.
Gray will probably have one more start before he most likely pitches the opener at Yankee Stadium during the Wild Card round. Throughout the season, he has proven time and again that he is the leader of the staff with the injury to Crochet. We can only hope that he is up to the task of getting the Yankees out in their building during the playoffs.
Willllsooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!
We just got the one right-handed bat in our lineup capable of putting a little fear into the opposition back, and now we have to wait and see how he responds after being drilled on the hand twice in two games.
Early reports are that it is just a bruise, but there are only nine games left in the regular season for Contreras to get back into the groove. And given the history of reporting by the medical staff, if the damage is more severe than they are letting on, the disadvantage Boston will face going into the Bronx could be even greater.
Oh, What a Relief It Is
A day after Erik Miller, one of the guys Chad Tracy and Andrew Bailey thought they could rely on, gave up the game in his one inning of relief, Wyatt Olds and Alec Gamboa managed to hold it down for Boston in a win.
For a large part of the summer, the secret to much of Boston’s success stemmed from the exploits of unlikely heroes. And it always seemed to be a different person every night.
In order for the Sox to be successful in the playoffs, it appears that it will require a few more Herculean feats from players we don’t expect.
I, for one, believe that “The Marshal’s” impact on this season is only just beginning. Hopefully, it’s for the good and not the bad or the ugly.
Who do you think will be the unsung hero if the Sox surpass the Yanks?
Image Courtesy of https://www.masslive.com/redsox/2026/09/willson-contreras-says-hand-injury-felt-like-a-fracture-but-initial-red-sox-x-rays-were-negative.html