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The Red Sox have it all going their way which irritates me to no end, but they made a trade over the weekend that seemed a little odd, at least in the moment, one that sent a pitcher away who I’m glad is off their team. That and a trip around the major leagues on Monday night. Let’s get to it.
The only team in the AL East that didn’t win Monday night was the first-place Rays, but that’s only because the annoying, fly at the picnic Rays didn’t play.
Every other team played and won, thankfully including the Yankees who rallied from an early 3-0 deficit and defeated the White Sox 9-5. Jeez, wouldn’t it be nice to play them more because in three of the four games against the AL Central lead, the Yankees have scored 10, 10 and 9 runs.
The victory pulled the Yankees within 2.5 games of Tampa Bay, but the other three division rivals - Boston, Baltimore and Toronto - also shaved a half game off their deficit, most aggravating of all being the Red Sox.
They’re playing at the horrible A’s four times before they should get an actual challenge from the Dodgers in Los Angeles on the weekend. They were down 1-0 in the sixth and just as they’ve been doing for nearly a month, the baseball gods were smiling down on the Red Sox.
Jack Perkins, who is not a good pitcher, had handcuffed the Red Sox for five shutout and hitless innings but a leadoff double by Connor Wong ended the no-hitter and a two-out walk to Willson Contreras ended Perkins’ night. Jose Suarez entered and walked Wilyer Abreu to load the bases and Ceddane Rafaela followed with a shot to left-center.
Rafaela thought he’d got under it and actually slammed his bat as he trotted to first base thinking he’d made the third out, but the ball kept carrying at that minor-league ballpark in Sacramento the A’s call home these days and it reached the wall. There, left fielder Colby Thomas leaped and had the ball in his glove, but when his wrist hit the top of the wall the ball fell out and over for a grand slam. Unbelievable. And those were the only runs the Sox scored in their 4-2 victory.
The Red Sox celebrate Ceddane Rafaela’s fortunate and game-winning grand slam in Sacramento Monday night.
“I thought it was a flyout,” Rafaela said. “I thought I didn't hit it. I hit 98 [mph], but I didn’t think I hit it that hard. I want to be in those positions to help my team out. I always want to be in those kind of situations. It’s not a normal at-bat. It’s an at-bat that I have to come through for my team, and I like to have that on my shoulders to help the team.”
The god damn Red Sox. That was their 10th straight road win - remember they had that 9-0 road trip they had before the All-Star break that keyed their 15-game winning streak - and they stayed just 4.5 games behind the second-place Yankees.
“I've played here before, so when he hit it - I don't think Rafa thought he got it. But when the ball got hit, it was on the barrel and hit pretty good, and I'm just
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