WEST SACRAMENTO – What a frenetic scene it was for the Red Sox when two slumping cornerstones turned a potential loss into a satisfying, 5-4 victory over the Athletics on back-to-back swings.
Wilyer Abreu had just opened the eighth inning with an equalizing solo shot to center against Luis Medina.
The right fielder hadn’t even sat down yet when he craned his neck at the crack of the bat. The noise he heard was Willson Contreras mauling a solo homer of his own on the very next pitch.
Abreu was just putting down the Wally the Green Monster mask the Red Sox use every time someone goes deep when he heard the homer by Contreras before turning around in time to see it leave the park. Deftly, Abreu picked up the Wally and put it on the head of Contreras.
It was another scrapbook sequence for a team that has come from the depths of being 14 games under .500 to stretches of 20-3 and 28-8 as they head to Dodger Stadium for a marquee three-game weekend series that leads into Monday’s Trade Deadline.
All season long, Contreras has been the emotional leader for Boston. And aside from a couple of brief slumps, he has been the team’s best hitter.
Though Contreras claimed he got jammed while hitting his 23rd homer of the season a Statcast-projected 414 feet to left, he let out a lot of joy in the moment.
The fiery Contreras stood and admired the flight of the baseball, then gave a demonstrative bat flip. He pounded his chest where the uniform says “Boston,” and shouted at his teammates as he circled the bases.
What was Contreras yelling and thinking?
“We’re Boston,” said Contreras. “‘We’re the Boston Red Sox’ – that was the first thing that came to my mind. We are able to beat anybody, and we keep believing in each other. That was my first time thinking, like, ‘We’re the Boston Red Sox.”’
Those Boston Red Sox are now 57-51 and trail the Rays by seven games in the American League East, and the Yankees by 3 1/2 games both for second place in the division and the top Wild Card spot. Boston is in possession of the second Wild Card berth, something that didn’t seem realistic five weeks ago.
For Contreras, breaking out of a 2-for-17 stretch with his go-ahead blast gives him momentum going into Dodger Stadium, a series you know he will be sky high for.
Abreu knew how Contreras had been feeling. Prior to his game-tying blast, he had just two hits in his last 35 at-bats.
“Baseball is about grinding,” said Contreras. “Sometimes you wanna feel good, sometimes you won’t feel good. But also, we’re feeling OK, we’re taking good at-bats. We’re walking, we’re getting on base, and that’s really important, too. We’re not giving away at-bats. And Wily and I, we’re just trying to do our job, trying to make contact and help the team any way we can.”
After Abreu provided the first spark, Contreras did the rest, giving the Red Sox their seventh consecutive series victory.
“I’ve been battling this all series and maybe the last series, too,” Abreu said. “Trying to feel comfortable at the plate, looking for good pitches to hit. I felt like I was chasing a lot of pitches, and that’s because I didn’t feel good at the plate. But just moving forward, tomorrow is another day. Try to replicate the swing that I did today and go from there.”
For Abreu, it was one of the most short-lived dugout celebrations of his baseball life. At least until Contreras got back to join him.
“I didn’t even have time to celebrate because [Contreras] hit the ball right away,” said Abreu. “So I just went back to the Wally head and waited for him in the dugout. I did the high-five to the guys when I was through half of the dugout. He hit a homer, and I just went back to the stairs to wait for him.”
The dugout was a lively place as the Red Sox suddenly smelled a late-inning win for the second straight night.
“In that spot, electric,” said interim manager Chad Tracy on the pair of swings. “I mean, obviously, we know we’re fighting back. And then Abreu electrifies the dugout with the first swing, and then while you’re doing congratulations there, you turn your head and you see another one going out. Between the two of them, the dugout was as electric as it’s been. It’s huge.”
