Red Sox rally for 13-inning walk-off win over White Sox
Boston defeated Chicago 12-11 in 13 innings, extending its season-best winning streak and keeping the team within a half-game of the AL wild-card lead.
Boston secured a 12-11 victory over the Chicago White Sox in a 13-inning game on Thursday night at Fenway Park, extending its recent run to 31-5 since June 25. Third baseman Caleb Durbin delivered a walk-off single in the bottom of the 13th, driving in Nick Sogard for the winning run despite having injured his pinky finger earlier in the game.
The win marked the Red Sox's second straight series sweep and improved their record to 63-51, leaving them a half-game behind the New York Yankees for the top wild-card spot and the second-best record in the American League. The team has used eight relievers in the game, with newcomer Erik Miller making his first major-league appearance.
Interim manager Chad Tracy praised the effort, saying, "This ranks at the top of the list, I'd say. You guys can ask me questions about the game; I'm not sure I'll remember quite what inning certain things happened. It was unbelievable. They just did not want to lose. So, it was incredible."
Statistical analysts noted that Boston became the only modern-era team to score in five separate innings from the ninth onward in a single game. The victory also continued a season-long trend of sweeping opponents that entered the series in first place, a feat not achieved since the expansion era began in 1961.
Since the All-Star break, the Red Sox have posted a 17-3 record, and they have won nine straight series for the first time since 1912. The team will face the Oakland Athletics, Toronto Blue Jays, Pittsburgh Pirates, Arizona Diamondbacks and San Francisco Giants in the coming weeks.