Tanner Houck wasn’t exactly at the top of his game, and the lineup was racking up runners-left-on-base, but the Red Sox were able to grind out a 4-3 victory in Toronto, extending their winning streak to four and taking their third consecutive series.How? Because the hometown hitter came up big again, the rookie continues to […]
Tanner Houck wasn’t exactly at the top of his game, and the lineup was racking up runners-left-on-base, but the Red Sox were able to grind out a 4-3 victory in Toronto, extending their winning streak to four and taking their third consecutive series.
How? Because the hometown hitter came up big again, the rookie continues to rake, and the bullpen gave no quarter.
After homering twice in Monday night’s series opener, Canadian native Tyler O’Neill came up clutch again in a much-quieter, closer game on Tuesday, leading off the eighth with a game-tying blast to center.
O’Neill has proven clutch in personal, big spots: in March, he made MLB history as the first player to homer in five consecutive Opening Days. His return to St. Louis was similarly explosive. The Red Sox are trying to capitalize however they can; Alex Cora told reporters the team has a running joke about Jason Varitek checking the calendar and telling the slugger when there’s a Canadian national holiday.
O’Neill’s round-tripper reinvigorated the Red Sox lineup, which had left eight men on base before the eighth. Dom Smith singled, and was replaced with pinch-runner David Hamilton, who immediately stole his team-leading 19th base.
“We were waiting for the right moment to use Hammy,” Cora explained of the infielder, who exited the previous night’s contest with side soreness. “Hammy was a go from the get-go, did a good job, and then, Rafaela with the swing. It was fun.”
It was Ceddanne Rafaela’s third three-hit performance in his last four games, and sixth multi-hit game in his last seven. The rookie’s third hit of the night brought Hamilton around to score the go-ahead run; he then promptly stole his 10th base of the season.
How clutch was Rafaela’s hit, exactly? According to Stathead, it was the first two-out, go-ahead RBI by a Red Sox hitter in the eighth inning or later on the road since June 12, 2022.
