Red Sox
“I felt like the back and forth in the last three rounds was like before here.”
Alex Cora congratulated fans at Fenway Park after the Red Sox beat the Yankees on Friday. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
The Red Sox’s first game at Fenway Park since Alex Cora’s contract extension was memorable. It also reinforced his resolve to stay in Boston.
Cora noted the unique atmosphere at Fenway Park after the Red Sox’ 9-7 win over the Yankees, saying Friday’s game reminded him of the past.
“It was loud. It was fun,” Cora told reporters. “Their fans were there, our fans were there.” [Masataka Yoshida] came to bat, every time [Rafael Devers] When they come to bat with the game on the line, they go crazy. It feels like the back-and-forth innings of the last three innings are what they used to be here. That’s the way it should be. That’s why we’re here.
“That’s one of the reasons we decided to stay here, because we love it here. Sometimes I get chills just looking around.”
The Red Sox’s win Friday was arguably their biggest of the season. The two teams traded runs for much of the game, with the Yankees hitting back-to-back home runs in the seventh inning to give them a 7-4 lead. The first of those two home runs was a 470-foot shot by Yankees star Aaron Judge that gave New York a 6-4 lead.
But the Red Sox began their comeback in the bottom of the inning. Ceddanne Rafaela hit a two-run home run that allowed the Red Sox to get past the Green Monster and cut the Yankees’ lead to one run.
A Rob Refnsyder single and a Connor Wong walk led off the eighth inning. After the Yankees called on closer Clay Holmes, Wilyer Abreu hit a pinch-hitter double to tie the game before Masataka Yoshida hit a two-run single.
Kenley Jansen allowed the tying run to reach base in the ninth inning, but a strikeout by Judge earlier in the inning kept them out of big trouble.
With the win, the Red Sox are now just one game behind the Yankees for the final American League wild-card spot. However, they are now just 3.5 games back of the Yankees for the top wild-card spot, which is remarkable considering they were 14 games back of New York on June 14.
As the Red Sox look to continue closing the gap on the Yankees over the weekend, Cora felt fans know how important this series is.
“We haven’t played a game like that against them in a long time,” Cora said. “There was a buzz. They know where we are in the standings. Every game matters now. The rallies were great. We didn’t throw. We have to be better at that. But the boys didn’t stop… It took everyone to get us through.”
Wins like the one the Red Sox had last Friday also reinforce the legitimacy of their recent winning streak to turn the tide and become a playoff contender. As the Red Sox have improved, Cora has also noticed an improvement in the crowd at Fenway.
“There’s a difference between what’s happening here right now and the beginning of the season,” Cora said. “At the beginning of the season, with all due respect, it was like a museum, the Fenway experience.
“But now, [the fans] They love the team and understand what we are trying to accomplish.
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