2018 BOSTON RED SOX ...
THE BEST RED SOX TEAM EVAH! ...

Yeah, it's true, the 2018 Red Sox are the best Red Sox team ever and one of the best teams in baseball history! A team that won a franchise-best 108 games in the regular season finished with an October demolition derby of the best teams in baseball. The Red Sox needed just 14 tries to reach the 11 wins required. They lost just one game in each playoff round and after each loss, they never lost again.

The 119-57 Red Sox were remarkable and they were remarkably consistent, perhaps the rarest of combinations. The depth and quality of depth, that allowed the team to repeatedly rise to whatever occasion, presented itself with win after win after win. When another team gave the Red Sox an inch, they took a mile.

The Sox were a team in its purest sense. They picked each other up and they contributed, whether in the dugout, the clubhouse or on the field. They were the modern day version of Willie Stargell's "We Are Family" 1979 Pirates. Everyone on the team worked together harmoniously, from Mookie Betts to Steve Pearce. The Sox will long be remembered for their work ethic, their drive, their spirit and their dedication to winning.

There was DNA from Theo Epstein and Ben Cherington on this team, along with plenty of expensive parts added by Dave Dombrowski. The combination was potent and nearly overpowering. They won exactly two out of every three games they played and they never lost more than three games in a row all season. They played fundamental baseball with stolen bases, hit and run plays, bunts, great defense and solid pitching. There was no knee taking, no protesting, only the love of playing baseball and winning.

In 1912, the Red Sox had a Hall of Fame outfield with Duffy Lewis, Harry Hooper and an impeccable center fielder named Tris Speaker, who knocked out 222 hits and scored 136 runs on his way to a .383 season. Speaker and pitcher Smoky Joe Wood, with his 34-5 record and 1.91 ERA over 344 innings, led the Boston Red Sox to a then, franchise-best 105-47 record and the World Series championship.

In 1915, Speaker and Wood still starred for Boston, along with a "million dollar" pitching staff that included Dutch Leonard, Carl Mays, Ray Collins, Ernie Shore, Rube Foster and 20-year-old named Babe Ruth. The result was a 101-50 record and another title.

The Red Sox did not win 100 games again until 1946. A lineup that included Ted Williams (.342 BA, 38 HRs), Bobby Doerr, Johnny Pesky (.335 BA) and Dom DiMaggio paced the Sox to a 104-50 mark. The Red Sox reached the World Series, only to lose to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games.

Three historic seasons, without doubt. But the 2018 season was one that was never seen before. The 119 win Red Sox team had stars who will be talked about for years. Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez, Jackie Bradley Jr., Xander Bogaerts, Andrew Benintendi and Chris Sale. They had bench players that played like stars when given the chance; players like Eduardo Nunez, Nate Eovaldi, Steve Pearce, Brock Holt, Mitch Moreland, Matt Barnes, Joe Kelly and the youngster Rafael Devers.

The Sox finished the regular season 108-54. It was all about the team. It was a band of dedicated players, who were unified from the opening day under a rookie manager to prove the were the best in the game.

In 2016 and 2017, the Sox swift exit from the first round of the playoffs, made winning in the regular season seem somewhat unimportant. It would be advancing in the post season that would show the team's true ability.

The firing of manager John Farrell was one reaction to losing in the first round of the playoffs, and the hiring of Alex Cora was the response by Dombrowski. 

Then with the signing of J.D. Martinez being the most obvious move in the offseason, and after months of dithering, the Red Sox finally paid for their David Ortiz replacement, giving him $110 million over five years. Martinez went out and proceeded to rank in the top three in the A.L. in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, hits, home runs, runs, runs batted in, and total bases in his first year in Fenway. His attention to detail permeated throughout the rest of his team and the Sox offense became the most powerful in the majors.

Mookie Betts did a little bit of everything.  He did it to such a degree that he was the A.L. Most Valuable Player. Mookie and Jackie Bradley Jr were Gold Glove winners in 2018. Chris Sale dominated on the mound with David Price and a cast of strong willed starters, complimented by a sold, if unheralded bullpen.

Oddly enough, the 2018 season started with a frustrating loss. In Tampa, on March 29th, Chris Sale shutdown the Rays, leaving the game with a 4 to 0 lead, only to see his bullpen give it away.  The highlight of the game was an inside-the-park home run by Eduardo Nunez.

The next day, March 30th, David Price again shutdown the Rays with a brilliant 1 to 0 shutout. Pitching at the venue he called home for so many years, Price made himself at home in this one, carving up the Rays for seven dazzling innings in which he threw just 76 pitches.

In the third game, on March 31st, looking much more like the pitcher who won the American League Cy Young Award two years ago than the one that stumbled and lost six more games than he won last year, Rick Porcello lifted the Sox to a 3-2 victory over the Rays. Xander Bogaerts once again was outstanding, raking three hits, including a solo homer, and driving in two runs. The shortstop was 8-for-12 this season, with all but one of the hits going for extra-bases.

In the final game of the series, on April 1st, Hector Velazquez pitched the Sox to a 2-1 victory. Velazquez, who the Sox grabbed out of the Mexican League, held the Rays to one run over 5 2/3 innings, before giving way to the bullpen, which held Tampa Bay scoreless.

In Miami, on April 2nd, it was Brian Johnson's turn to be the star pitcher. He lifted the Sox to a 7 to 3 win over the Marlins. Both Hanley Ramirez and Mookie Betts homered for the Red Sox. Bogaerts rapped out two more hits raising his average to .455

The Sox concluded their 5-1 opening road trip by beating the Marlins in the next game, April 3rd, 4 to 2 in 13 innings. Hanley Ramirez burned his former team with a two-run double in the 13th inning. Jackie Bradley made the web gem of the year so far, with a diving catch while running in at full speed.

On April 5th, Hanley won the home opener for the Sox, his single in the 12th inning, beating the Tampa Bay Rays, 3-2. With the bases loaded and one out, Ramirez hit the first pitch he saw the other way to right field. It landed in the last sliver of sunlight on a cold day at Fenway Park.

Red Sox starter David Price earned a loud cheer from the crowd when he walked off the mound after seven shutout innings. The lefthander scattered three hits, walked three, and struck out five.

Price had thrown 14 shutout innings in two starts. Not since 1949, when Mel Parnell did it, had a Red Sox starter opened the season with consecutive starts of at least seven innings without allowing a run. Including the 2017 postseason, Price has thrown 26 consecutive scoreless innings at Fenway. Through the first seven games, Sox starters had a combined ERA of 0.83, the lowest in the history of baseball.

Two days later, on April 7th, Xander Bogaerts hit a grandslam homer in the second inning of a 10 to 3 rout of the Rays. Bogaerts also had a two-run double and six RBIs in the game.

In the next game, the Sox accomplished something no other Red Sox team had ever done. They won the eighth of the first nine games they played. On April 8th, down 7-2 in the eight inning, the Sox rallied for six runs with two outs and walked away with an 8 to 7 victory.

The Yankees came to Fenway on April 10th and were clobbered 14 to 1. Chris Sale allowed one run in six innings, striking out eight without a walk. Mookie Betts went 4-for-4, scoring five runs and driving in four. He slammed his third career grand slam that capped a nine run burst in the sixth inning. Hanley Ramirez went 2-for-2 with 3 RBIs, and Andrew Benintendi added a two-run triple along with a double. Through the first 10 games of the season, the Red Sox had not committed an error for a new major league record.

After losing a game highlighted by an old fashioned Red Sox-Yankee brawl because Joe Kelly plunked Tyler Austin, after he slid into Brock Holt at second base, Rick Porcello dominated the Yanks, 6 to 3, in the final game of the series, taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning on April 12th.

Against Baltimore on April 13th, Eduardo Rodriguez took charge, beating the Orioles, 7 to 3. The starting rotation was 8-1 with a 1.97 ERA and Rafael Devers was 3-for-5 in this game. The next game, on April 14th,  the Red Sox won, 10 to 3 with home runs from J.D. Martinez, Hanley Ramirez and 3 RBIs from Andrew Benintendi. In their 118 year history, the Red Sox (12-2) had never reached 10 games over .500 this soon. Only once, in 1918, had the Sox started 11-2.

Even the near frigid temperatures couldn't cool of the Sox in the third game of the series, on April 15th. Chris Sale struck out eight and J.D. Martinez scored the winning run on a wild pitch, giving the Sox a 3-1 win.

On April 17th, in Anaheim, the Red Sox clouted six home runs with Mookie Betts accounting for three home runs and beat the Angels, 10 to 1.  David Price gave up one run on three hits, striking out six over five innings.

The next night, on April 18th, Rick Porcello pitched six scoreless innings and received a wealth of offensive support, including a grandslam from Rafael Devers (the fourth this month), as the Sox rolled over the Angels, 9 to 0. Mookie Betts went deep with three home runs. Porcello (4-0) had not allowed a run in his last 13 innings.

The unstoppable Sox swept the Angels, 8 to 2 on April 19th. Mookie Betts again led off the game with a home run and J.D. Martinez went 3-for-4 with two doubles. Andrew Benintendi also homered and Rafael Devers had three hits and three RBIs. The Sox outscored the Angels 27-3 in the series, and hit 11 home runs.

Unfazed by the national spotlight, the Red Sox (17-2) cruised into Oakland and beat the Athletics, 7 to 3 on April 20th, behind a three run homer by Jackie Bradley Jr and a grandslam by Mitch Moreland. Moreland's slam was the fifth by the Sox in the last 12 games.

The Red Sox were stopped cold in the second game with the Athletics and it seemed only fitting that their historical start should be stymied by another historic event. Sean Manaea became the 12th pitcher in Athletics' history to throw a no-hitter, beating the Sox, 3 to 0. Manaea struck out ten and allowed only four Sox baserunners.

The Sox lost the series finale in Oakland, for their second loss in a row and headed up to Toronto, losing the first game of that series. But the next night, on April 25th, Mookie Betts walloped two more home runs to lead the Sox past the Jays, 4 to 3. The following night, the Sox needed a big swing and J.D. Martinez answered the call. His three-run shot helped lift the Sox to a 5-4 win, in the finale with the Jays on April 26th.

Martinez (4 for 4) led the Sox in a come-from-behind thriller on April 29th against the Rays, 4 to 3. It was the 18th win in the month of April, tying a franchise record.

The Sox (21-7) ended their great month by slapping the Kansas City Royals on April 30th, 10-6.  Xander Bogaerts slammed his second grand slam homer, giving the Sox six slams for the month and thus tying a major league record set by the Expos in 1996.

After being out for two games with an injury, Mookie Betts returned to the lineup against the Royals on May 2nd. He proceeded to slam three home runs in the game for the fourth time in his career and the second time this year. The American League home run leader (11 HRs) past Ted Williams in the Red Sox record book for most three homer games in his career.

In Texas, on May 4th, Rafael Devers homered twice and Rick Porcello picked up his 5th win, as the Sox defeated the Rangers, 5 to 1. The  next night, May 5th, Craig Kimbrel picked up his 300th career save, as the Sox came from behind and defeated the Rangers in the 9th inning, 6 to 5. In the finale on May 6th, Chris Sale struck out 12 batter en route to a 6 to 1 Sox win.

The Sox headed in to New York to face-off against the Yankees, after taking three games in Texas.  The had a 1 game lead over the Yanks. Both teams had the two best records in baseball, and the Yankees had the best winning percentage in baseball in the month of May.

The Sox bullpen couldn't hold the lead for the Sox in the first two games, and the Yankees came from behind to win each one. In the third game on May 10th, after squandering a 4-0 lead, the bullpen again let the Yankees come back to tie up the game.  J.D. Martinez's homered, in the eight inning, and put the Sox back on top, 5 to 4 for good.  The Sox halted an eight game winning streak for the Yankees and left the Bronx tied with them for the top spot in the AL East.

The Sox took 2 of 3 in Toronto and returned to Fenway. After losing two of three to the Oakland Athletics, the Sox hosted the last place Baltimore Orioles.

MOOKIE BETTS & JACKIE BRADLEY JR

On May 17th, David Price proved relentless, attacking the zone with his fastball, cutter, and changeup. In a complete game, 6-2 victory, he dissected the Orioles without hesitation, requiring just 95 pitches and throwing 69 of them for strikes. J.D. Martinez did what he does launching yet another homer (his 13th of the year, tied with Mookie Betts for second in the majors). Xander Bogaerts also went deep for his sixth homer of the year and second in as many games.

The Sox lost the next night but Mookie Betts went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a homer. And in the next game, on May 19th, Mookie walloped another home run (15th) and was batting .368 that put him on top in the American League in both categories. Andrew Benintendi followed him with a back-to-back homer, as the Sox beat the Orioles, 6 to 3.

In the final game of the series, on May 20th, J.D. Martinez clubbed two home runs to tie Mookie for the A.L. lead with his 14th and 15th. It was the first time in Sox history that two players had 15 HRs in the team's first fifty games. But it also was the pitching masterpiece by Eduardo Rodriguez that highlighted a Sox 5-0 sweep of the Orioles.

Down in Tampa on May 22nd, Mookie Betts lined his 16th homer into the left stands, while Chris Sale (5-1) struck out nine batters in a 4 to 2 win over the Rays. Sale had allowed three runs or fewer in his first 11 starts, the longest stretch since Pedro Martinez  opened the 2001 season with 12. Then on May 23rd, a 4-1 win was accomplished with six strong innings from David Price and a three-run ninth sparked by an RBI double by Xander Bogaerts. The Sox took 2 of 3 games from the Rays and returned home.

Through 50 games, the Red Sox were 34-16, on a 110-win pace. They were tied for the team’s fifth most wins through 50 games since 1908. The other seasons in which the Sox started by winning 34 of 50 were in 1946 (40-10, A.L. Champions), 2007 (35-15, World Champions), 2002 (35-15, missed the playoffs), 1986 (35-15, A.L. Champions), 1978 (34-16, lost the one-game playoff to Yankees).

Against Atlanta, on May 25th, after being down 2-0, the Sox socked four homers, including Mookie Betts' 16th HR, to give themselves a 6 to 2 victory. Dustin Pedroia had not been with the team all year, recovering from a knee operation. On May 26th, with Pedroia coming off the DL and back to the team, the Red Sox cut ties with Hanley Ramirez to make room for him, and beat the Braves, 8 to 6.

Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez gave up a two-run homer to Julio Lugo, that caromed off a billboard above the Monster in a Red Sox alumni game before the contest on May 27th. It was the club’s first alumni game in 25 years.

After taking two of three from the Braves, the Sox hosted the Blue Jays on Memorial Day.  The afternoon belonged to Andrew Benintendi. In an 8 to 3 win, on May 28th, Benintendi notched his ninth three-hit game this season. Over the past 24 days, Benintendi was the Sox best hitter, batting .370 with 14 extra-base hits.

The Sox swept the Blue Jays and headed to Houston. In the final game of the series on May 30th, with the Jays, Eduardo Rodriguez (6-1) once again was dominant. He pitched 6 2/3 innings, not allowing a baserunner until the 4th inning. He had seven strikeouts allowing two runs on three hits. The Sox were 10-1 when Rodriguez took the mound.

After losing the first two games to the Astros, and with both Mookie Betts and Dustin Pedroia on the DL, the Sox rallied back on June 2nd to overtake Houston, 5 to 4. Justin Verlander had out-dueled David Price, who pitched another great game but left, losing 3 to 2.  With Verlander out of the game in the seventh inning, Christian Vazquez tied up the game with a solo homer.  After a walk to Jackie Bradley, Andrew Benintendi slammed a home run to right field that put the Sox up for good.

Then in the series finale the next day, June 3rd, both Benintendi and Mitch Moreland homered to give Rick Porcello (8-2) a 9 to 3 win over the previously undefeated Charlie Morton.

The Sox then returned home and Drew Pomeranz was put on the DL with elbow tendonitis. So, against the Tigers at Fenway on June 5th, Steven Wright was given the ball and made is first start since April, 2017. After a shaky first inning he was brilliant with a 6 to 0 shutout. He was helped by J.D. Martinez's 20th home run. The Sox lost the final game with the Tigers and then lost two of three to the White Sox, concluding their brief homestand, splitting even.

In Baltimore the Sox swept the Orioles three straight. On June 11th, it took 12 innings as Steven Wright pitched shutout ball. The next night Eduardo Rodriguez was impressive and the final game ended the sweep with a sharp performance from Chris Sale. Mookie Betts came off the DL and homered along with one from J.D. Martinez in the final game on June 13th. The Sox headed to Seattle with a one game lead in the A.L. East.

The weekend in Seattle to face one of the best and arguably the hottest team in baseball was going to be a challenge. Coming away with a split wasn’t horrible, even if it felt like it could have been more.

In the series opener on June 14th, David Price was phenomenal. He was certainly the story of this game, but Xander Bogaerts played an important role as well, contributing both the go-ahead home run and a huge defensive play in the inning immediately after the dinger. The Sox beat the Mariners, 2 to 1.

The second game was a tough loss and a pretty wild game overall. Early on it seemed as if it would be all Seattle, then the Sox had a huge third inning that put all of the momentum on their side. Unfortunately, that was the only inning in which they’d be able to do damage. The lineup had some chances to score late in the game but squandered the opportunities. That would come back to bite them, as the bullpen had some rare struggles with Heath Hembree and Matt Barnes each allowing a run to give Seattle a 7 to 6 win.

The third game on June 16th was about as ugly an offensive performance as you’ll see from the Red Sox, and that includes them being no-hit early this year. This lineup had issues with lefties all year long, but this was another level. The Red Sox had no answer. It was clear in just about every at bat that they were hopeless on almost every pitch.  To make matters worse, this terrible performance at the plate wasted another great start from Steven Wright in a 1 to 0 loss.

The final game, a 9 to 3 win, on June 17th, was really encouraging as the offense turned it back on while Eduardo Rodriguez put forth one of his best outings of the year. Andrew Benintendi started the third inning with his second single of the day, and after a Xander Bogaerts single and J.D. Martinez walk Boston suddenly had the bases loaded.  Mitch Moreland got himself a nice little two-run single to put Boston up 2-0. That brought Rafael Devers to the plate, and the Red Sox young third baseman crushed one out to right field for a three-run shot. In the blink of an eye, the third went from looking like a quick inning to a five-run outburst.

In Minnesota, the Red Sox scored only three runs against the Twins in the first two games and lost both, wasting two good pitching performances from Chris Sale and David Price. But in the final game on June 21st, the offense came alive and battered the Twins, 9 to 2, in support of Rick Porcello's one-hit pitching over seven innings. The Sox, however, returned to Fenway two games behind the Yankees in the A.L. East.

Back home on June 22nd, the Sox came from behind twice to beat the Mariners 14-10. The game was wild from the outset with Seattle scoring four runs in the first inning and the Sox responding with five of their own. Then after being down 10-5, the Sox came back again, backed by J.D. Martinez, who belted a two-run homer (27th) and a two-run single to finish the second comeback. After losing the second game, the Sox finished the series with a 5-0 shutout victory thanks to an incredible performance by Chris Sale, on June 24th, averaging two strikeouts per inning.

Next in town were the Los Angeles Angels, and the Sox continued to dominate them. In the first game on June 26th, the offense blasted four home runs and David Price shut them down, 9 to 1. Mookie Betts led off the game with a home run and after two inning the Sox piled up a 5-0 lead. Christian Vazquez, J.D. Martinez and Jackie Bradley also homered.

The next night, on June 27th, the bottom of the Sox order came through as the Sox, once again beat down the Angels, 9 to 6. A homer by Sandy Leon gave the Sox a 3-0 lead. A few batters later, J.D. Martinez smashed his 25th home run to break the game open, 6-0. The Sox let Los Angeles back in the game, but Leon and Rafael Devers then put the Sox back out in front to stay.

In the final games of the series, the Sox came away with a 4 to 2 victory in a close game, to sweep the season series against the Angels. A couple of timely home runs, one from Devers and the other by the red-hot Jackie Bradley Jr provided the difference.  And so, with a one game lead in the A.L. East the Sox headed to New York for a show down with the Yankees.

The Sox acquired firstbaseman, Steve Pearce from Toronto on June 28th for a minor league prospect. Pearce joined the Sox in New York. The first game on June 29th, saw the Yanks and C.C. Sabathia, humiliate the Sox, 8 to 1.  But in the second game, on June 30th, with Chris Sale, pitching one-hit ball, with 11 strikeouts, and consistently hitting 100 mph over seven innings, the Sox smashed the Yanks, 11-0. Rafael Devers went 5-for-5, including a first inning grand slam. From there, the game was a laugher. Even though it wasn't, the last game of the series seemed like a must win game. David Price took the mound for the Sox and was beat up by the Yankees, 11 to 1. The Yankees had a 6-0 lead after two innings and never looked back. And so the Sox left New York tied with the Yanks on top of the A.L. East.

The Sox moved on to Washington DC, on July 2nd, and Rick Porcello outdueled Max Scherzer in a 4 to 3 Sox win.  Porcello was the difference at plate also, by slugging out a base-loaded double, that put the Sox on top, 3-0. In the second game, the night belonged to J.D. Martinez, who slammed his 27th homer, and picked up 4 RBIs, as the Sox cruised to an 11 to 4 win. The Sox completed a sweep of the Nats on July 4th, with a 3 to 0 shutout.

In Kansas City, the Sox continued to roll, winning the first game, on July 6th, 10 to 5. Chris Sale struck out 12 batters as Mookie Betts (100th career homer), J.D. Martinez and Xander Bogaerts provide the punch with home runs.  Sale had allowed just one run over his last 20 innings.

The offense continued to steamroll the Royals the next night, in a 15 to 4 shellacking. Andrew Benintendi accounted for most of the scoring, with a home run, double and four walks. Betts had four hits, raising his AL leading batting average to .343. The Sox made it their second straight series sweep, beating the Royals, 7 to 4 on July 8th, to cap off a 7-2 road trip. Benintendi continued to wield a hot bat with four more hits, extending his on-base streak to 10 straight at bats. 

Back home at Fenway Park on July 9th, the Sox burned their way through the Texas Rangers. The Sox won the first game, 5 to 0. J.D. Martinez hit his MLB leading 28th homer, along with a dinger from newcomer Steve Pearce. Since coming to the Sox, Pearce had gone 11-for-24 with four doubles and a homer. The Sox rolled on in the second game of the series, winning 8 to 4, and in the final game, on July 11th, Chris Sale struck out 12, shutting down Texas for seven innings, and a 4 to 2 sweep of the Rangers, pushing their lead over the Yankees to 3 1/2 games in the AL East.. 

And so, the Sox (65-29) swept their third straight series, running their winning streak to nine straight for the second time this season. Xander Bogaerts batted .370 in the streak, with two doubles, two triples, and two homers that accounted for 13 RBIs and seven runs scored.  J.D. Martinez had 12 RBIs and a .400 average.  But Sale (10-4, 2.23 ERA) was the most impressive, striking out 11 or more batters and walking one or fewer in five straight starts. In his last seven starts, Sale had a 0.94 ERA and had not allowed a homer in 51.0 innings pitched.

The game on July 12th became the signature moment, thus far, in the career of Mookie Betts. Against the Blue Jays', J.A. Happ, with the bases loaded and the Sox down, 2-1, Mookie fouled off 12 pitches, but then took the 13th pitch out of the park over the Green Monster.  It was his fourth career grand slam and the eighth by the team this season, giving the Red Sox a 6 to 4 win, their 10th straight.

The Sox winning streak ended the next night but Mookie stayed hot, slamming out two triples in his first two plate appearances. The third game, on July 14th, was one of the most wild ones played at Fenway this year. Xander Bogaerts kicked off a ninth-inning rally to tie the game, then he capped off the victory with a walk-off grand slam (his 3rd slam of the year and the 9th for the team), winning the game 6 to 2. The Sox finished off the first half with a 5 to 2 win over the Jays in the final game of the series, with Craig Kimbrel notching his 30th save, with 11 straight scoreless appearances. Bogaerts knocked out another homer, and Jackie Bradley Jr, Sandy Leon Brock Holt went a combined 5-9, with 3 RBIs.

The Sox (68-30) had finished the way they started, going 17-3, after starting the season, 17-2. They were in first place, 4 1/2 games ahead of the Yankees at the All Star break. The Sox led the entire MLB in runs (530), hits (928), extra base hits (366) and on base percentage (.801). The 68 wins were the most by any Sox team through the first 98 games of the season.

Five Sox players went to Washington for the All Star Game ... Craig Kimbrel, Chris Sale, Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez and Mitch Moreland. Moreland collected two hits in the All Star Game and starter Chris Sale struck out two batters in one inning of work.

The Red Sox opened the second half in Detroit and took 2 of 3, increasing their lead over the Yankees to 5 games in the AL East and becoming the first team to hit the 70-win plateau. Both David Price and Chris Sale pitched shutouts in the games they started. Sale (11-4, 2.13 ERA) blanked the Tigers in a 9 to 1 romp on July 22nd. Sale was 6-1, with a 0.84 ERA, notching 87 strikeouts while walking just 10, in his last 54 innings of work.

After losing the next two games, Chris Sale pitched a nasty game against the Twins at Fenway on July 27th, striking out 10 batters. In his past five starts, Sale had struck out 57 batters in 33 innings. But when Sale left the game, the Twins took the lead, until Rafael tied up the game with a line drive shot into the Sox bullpen in the ninth inning.  Forward to the 10th inning and Mookie Betts lines a home run over the Monster Seats for his first career walk-off and a 4 to 3 Sox win.

The next night, J.D. Martinez hit his MLB leading 32nd homer and Mookie Betts raised his MLB-leading average to .346 with two doubles as the Sox beat the Twins, 10 to 4. In the final game, on July 29th, RHP Nathan Eovaldi, who the Sox acquired from the Rays for Jalen Beeks a few days earlier, shutout the Twins 3 to 0, allowing just four hits in seven innings pitched.

The Sox split the next two games as the Phillies visited Fenway. They won the first game on July 30th, 2 to 1, when Blake Swihart bounced a walk-off ground rule double into the Sox bullpen in the 13th inning.

The Yankees (5 1/2 games behind, in second place) then came in to town on August 2nd for a Fenway showdown. The first game was absolutely incredible. After a few disheartening innings to kick this game off, the Red Sox completely lost their minds and absolutely exploded for an eight-run fourth. There really wasn’t a silent bat in the lineup but Steve Pearce was the clear and obvious standout. with three homers as the Sox ripped the Yanks, 15 to 7.

As the trade deadline neared, the Sox had picked up secondbaseman Ian Kinsler from the Angels for two prospects. He immediately made an impact. He got two hits against the Phillies and three hits against the Yankees, with two outstanding defensive plays at second, in the 15-7 blowout.

In the second game, on August 3rd, Rick Porcello (14-4) was masterful, dusting off the Yankees, 4 to 1. Porcello pitched a complete game, facing only 28 batters, allowing just one hit (a home run), and striking out nine, without a walk, in an 86 pitch gem of a game.  The final 21 Yankees went down in order.

In the third game, Nathan Eovaldi shut down the Yankees, throwing eight shutout innings in a 4 to 1 victory on August 4th. He did not allow a hit until the fourth inning and only one Yankee baserunner made it as far as second base. It was Eovaldi's 15th scoreless inning pitched since he joined the Sox.

The Sox swept away the Yankees in the final game of the series on August 5th.  They came from behind, tying up the game in the 9th inning and walked it off in the 10th inning. The 79-34 Red Sox now had a 9 1/2 game lead in the AL East with 49 games to play, having won 23 of their last 28.

Since the All Star break, the Sox were a middle-of-the-pack team (.250 BA, .323 OBP). While the bats had been dormant at times, the Sox rotation was blowing away their opponents, with a 1.74 ERA, striking out 25% of the opposing batters and walking just 5.7 of them.  Nathan Eovaldi (0.00 ERA), David Price (1.33 ERA), Rick Porcello (2.18 ERA) and Brian Johnson (2.30 ERA) were the main contributors to the stat while Chris Sale only pitched in one game and allowed just one run. The starters had allowed only 0.7 home runs per game during that stretch.

In Toronto on August 7th, Mitch Moreland's 10th inning three-run home run proved to be the game winner in a 10-7 Sox win. The second Toronto game, the Sox also won, this time by a score of 10 to 5.  Brian Johnson had another solid start and Rafael Devers came off the DL and went 2 for 4, with a home run. J.D. Martinez (.332 BA, 34 HRs, 98 RBIs) was 3 for 4. In the final game of the series, on August 9th, Mookie Betts became the 21st player in Red Sox history, to hit for the "cycle".

In Baltimore, on August 10th, the Sox were down 5 to 0, and then erupted for 19 runs, beating the Orioles 19-12. Xander Bogaerts homered and had four RBIs and Andrew Benintendi scored three time and had a three-run homer. Mookie had three hits, three runs and three RBIs.

The Saturday games were a day/night doubleheader. In the afternoon, David Price (1.03 ERA since the All Star break) pitched six dominant innings, and Jackie Bradley Jr slammed two homers, as the Sox beat the Orioles, 5 to 0.  In the evening it was J.D. Martinez's turn to knock out two homers in a 6 to 4 Sox victory. On Sunday, Chris Sale returned after a two start rest, striking out 12 batters in five scoreless innings of one-hit ball, in a 4 to 1 sweep of the Orioles.

On August 14th, Brock Holt's 8th inning, pinch-hit home run, gave Rick Porcello his 15th win, as the Red Sox edged the Phillies, in Philadelphia, 2 to 1.

After splitting with the Phillies, the Sox came from behind to beat the Rays, 7 to 3, at Fenway on August 17th. Xander Bogaerts led the Sox attack with a two-run triple and added two doubles. But it was Brian Johnson, retiring 15 of the last 17 batters he faced, that was the story. The next night, the pitching of David Price was the story. Price, who in his last six starts, was 4-0 with a 1.80 ERA, struck out eight Rays, leading the Sox to a 5 to 2 win. Help came in the form of J.D. Martinez's 38th home run.

The Sox lost the last game of the series and then the next two to the A.L. Central leaders, Cleveland Indians. It was the first time the Sox look like mere mortals all season. In the third game on August 22nd, the Sox avoided losing four straight for the first time this season, as Xander Bogaerts blasted two home runs in a 10-4 win over the Indians. David Price pitched eight shutout innings in the final game as the Red Sox beat the Indians 7 to 0, to split their four game series.

But in Tampa the Sox slumped and slumped hard, getting swept in three straight games.  They saw 8 1/2 game lead in the AL East was down to 6 games.

At home against the Marlins on August 28th, the Sox played a sloppy game but got a walk-off 8 to 7 win on a throwing error into the Sox dugout. But concerns over the bullpen were highlighted as both Matt Barnes and Craig Kimbrel couldn't get the job done again.  The next night, August 29th, the Sox bats came alive. Down 5-3 in the seventh inning, the Sox scored 11 runs, sending 15 batters to the plate, in a 14-6 comeback win.

Into Chicago went the Red Sox  on August 30th, and after finding themselves down 4-0 to the White Sox, they scored four runs to tie it up in the seventh inning, with Mookie Betts slugging out a game-tying homer. Five more runs in the 9th inning gave Boston a 9 to 4 win.

On September 1st, Eduardo Rodriguez came of the DL and didn't miss a beat. He was brilliant, striking out 10 batters of the first 12 he faced in a 6 to 1 Red Sox win over the White Sox. The Red Sox (94-44) split the series in Chicago but didn't lose any ground to the Yankees, who remained 7 1/2 games behind.

In Atlanta on September 3rd, Ian Kinsler led the Sox in an 8 to 2 win over the Braves. Kinsler (11 hits in his last 27 at bats) knocked out two hits good for 3 RBIs.  Xander Bogaerts continued his clutch hitting with the bases loaded (8 for 12, 27 RBIs) by blasting a two run double in the ninth. In the second game of the series, Steve Pearce went 3-for-4, with 3 RBIs, as the Sox beat the Braves, 5 to 1. Steven Wright pitched well, in relief of Rick Porcello, for the second straight night.

The final game in Atlanta on September 5th, was a true classic. Down 7 to 1 in the 8th inning, the Sox rallied back to tie the game. Then in the 9th inning, Brandon Phillips playing in his first game of the year and his first game for the Red Sox, slammed a two-run, game winning home run into the left field stands, for a 9 to 8 Sox win, and a series sweep.

After losing two games to the Houston Astros, the Red Sox came back in dramatic fashion on September 9th. Mitch Moreland hot a walk-off single with two outs in the 9th inning to give the Sox a 6 to 5 win. Xander Bogaerts had a 4-for-4 night while J.D. Martinez launched his 40th homer of the season.

With Toronto next in town, the first game on September 11th was thriller, led by Brock Holt, who came in and pinch hit a HR to lead the Sox in a come-from-behind 7 to 2 win. In the next game, on September 12th, behind another great outing by David Price, the Sox (100-46) shutout the Jays, 1 to 0. Price retired the first 13 batters he faced, striking out four of them. The Sox next completed another series sweep, knocking out Toronto, 4 to 3 on September 13th.

The Mets came to Fenway for the first time since 2009 and behind Noah Syndergaard blew away the Sox, 8 to 0 on September 14th. But in the next game, September 15th, Brock Holt again came off the bench and snapped a tie with a two run double, leading the Sox to a 5 to 3 victory. In the final game on September 16th, the Red Sox had a tough task ahead of them against Jacob deGrom. They got one big inning against him thanks to a Brock Holt home run, and then some clutch late-game action from Tzu-Wei Lin, Holt and Andrew Benintendi in a 4 to 3 win. 

The Red Sox next headed to the Bronx to face the Yankees. Earlier in the year this series was circled and thought to be an important showdown. But circumstances changed and the Sox needed to win only one game to clinch the A.L. East title. That happened on September 20th. After losing the first two games, the Sox took the third game, 11 to 6. Mookie Betts homered twice and drove in five runs, knocking out four hits.

In Cleveland on September 21st, the Sox tied the franchise record for wins, ringing up number 105. They did it with the "B" squad lineup and home runs from Sam Travis and Tzu-Wei Lin in a 7 to 5 win. In the second game, the Sox came from behind with an eight inning rally, only to lose in extra innings, 5 to 4. The final game of the series was another extra innings loss, in spite of a great game from Mookie Betts, who registered his seventh four-hit game of the season.

When to Sox came back to Fenway Park, on September 24th, to face the Baltimore Orioles, they accomplished what no other Red Sox team had ever done. In beating the Orioles, 6 to 2, they chalked up a new team season record of 106 wins. They also clinched home field throughout the playoffs.

The Sox bombed the Orioles in the first game of a doubleheader, 19 to 3, on September 26th. In their first game with nothing to play for, the Red Sox had five homers and nine doubles and matched their biggest runs total of the season. The 14 extra-base hits were the most in the majors this year and the most for Boston since 1950.

Many individual milestones were achieved by the Sox players. J.D. Martinez hit his 42nd homer and tied him with Dick Stuart (1963) for the most by a player in his first year with the Red Sox. Mookie Betts stole a base, making him the second player in Red Sox history, since Jacoby Ellsbury, with at least 30 homers and 30 stolen bases in a season. Xander Bogaerts homered, giving him his 100th RBI, his most ever. His 22 homers was also his personal best. Andrew Benintendi had three hits, including a double, his 40th on the year. Rafael Devers had four hits and six RBI, including two homers, for six RBIs, a new career high.

After losing the first two games to the Yankees in the final weekend of the season at Fenway, the Red Sox went out on a high note on the final day, September 30th, beating New York, 10 to 2, for a team record 108 wins. In doing so, the Sox (108-54) became the only team this year to not lose four straight games.

J.D. Martinez (.330 BA) hit his 43rd homer, the most by a player in his first year with the Red Sox, since Dick Stuart knocked out 42 HRs in 1963. Martinez also posted an A.L. best 130 RBIs. Only Ted Williams and Jimmie Foxx batted at least .330 with 40 or more homers and 130 or more RBIs in Red Sox history. Martinez won the "Hank Aaron Award" for being the best hitter in the American League.

Mookie Betts finished with a .346 BA, which was good for the A.L. Batting Title, along with 47 doubles, 32 home runs, 80 RBIs, 129 runs scored and 30 stolen bases. He also led the league in slugging percentage and extra base hits.

In the first playoff matchup between the teams since 2004 between the Sox and the Yankees, the current of electricity that ace Chris Sale created from his highly-anticipated first pitch of the American League Divisional Series, was short-circuited for a bit, once the Sox bullpen entered the fray in Game #1. Sale came out firing, striking out three of the four batters he faced in the first. Over 5 1/3 innings, Sale held the high-powered Yankees to five hits while walking two and striking out eight.

J.D. Martinez hit a three-run homer off J.A. Happ in the first. The Sox made it 5-0 in the third and then white-knuckled it as New York slowly chipped away. And while the bridge between Sale and closer Craig Kimbrel definitely did more than teeter, it never collapsed. The Red Sox survived the stress of it all and held off the Yankees for a tense 5-4 victory.

Game #2 was an important start for David Price, whose reputation for not winning big games in October, was further justified by his awful performance. Price gave up two long homers to Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez, lasting only 1 2/3 innings, in the 6-2 Sox loss.

The Sox needed to get a solid performance out Nathan Eovaldi for a pivotal Game #3 in Yankee Stadium. The Sox offense, which featured a shaken-up lineup, was electric. They broke out for seven runs in the fourth inning, and were able to manufacture runs all night long. Meanwhile, Eovaldi was absolutely magnificent and totally shut down New York’s offense, in a 16-1 slaughter. Oh, and Brock Holt got the first postseason cycle of all time.

For the second consecutive night, the Red Sox got exactly the kind of pitching performance they needed in Game #4. Rick Porcello got the start and was the best version of himself. He was hitting the zone with everything, and he was also mixing his pitches about as well as he had all year. The Yankees offense was off-balance enough but eventually the  Sox had to fend them off in a stressful 9th inning, winning 4 to 3, and advancing to the A.L. Championship Series.

In Game #1 of the ALCS, both Justin Verlander and Chris Sale both struggled to get the ball over the plate. The difference was that Verlander recovered quickly but Sale never did. Sale lacked command, pitched four innings, giving up two runs on just one hit, but issuing four walks in 86 pitches. The Astros pulled away to beat the Red Sox 7-2. Red Sox pitchers walked ten and hit three batters. 

The Sox bounced back in Game #2, winning 7 to 5.  David Price pitched better than he did in the ALDS, but left in the fifth inning after walking two batters. Mookie Betts banged out two doubles and Jackie Bradley Jr came through with a bases loaded double to put the Sox ahead.  Then it was up to the bullpen and despite some more 9th inning hiccups by Craig Kimbrel, a Sox victory was locked down. After the game Chris Sale was taken to the hospital and kept overnight with an undisclosed stomach ailment.

It was off to Houston for Game #3 and Nathan Eovaldi pitched another gem with the Sox winning 8 to 2. The Red Sox jumped into a first inning lead only to see it disappear, until Steve Pearce unloaded with a massive homer. Then Houston allowed the Sox to blow it open by hitting two batters in the eight inning and seeing Jackie Bradley Jr uncork a grandslam homer to put the game out of reach.

DAVID PRICE

Game #4 was a wild back and forth contest, with the Sox coming out ahead, 8 to 6. A controversial call by umpire Joe West, on fan interference during an attempted catch by Mookie Betts, started the game. And Andrew Benintendi's game saving catch ended the game, after Craig Kimbrel had walked the bases loaded in the ninth inning. The offense gritted and grinded their way through this game while the bullpen trio of Joe Kelly, Ryan Brasier and Matt Barnes held strong.

David Price finally shed the monkey off his back by pitching the Sox to the American League pennant in Game #5.  For six innings he shutout the Astros, striking out nine batters.  Home runs by J.D. Martinez and Rafael Devers gave the Sox all the runs needed in a 4 to 1 series clincher. Jackie Bradley Jr won the ALCS MVP honors.

In the National League, the Los Angeles Dodgers took the Milwaukee Brewers to seven games in the NLDS and won out, earning the right to meet the Sox in the World Series.  It would be the first time the two teams matched up since the Sox beat Brooklyn, back in 1916.

In what was supposed to be a battle of the aces, Chris Sale and Clayton Kershaw,  in Game #1, it was the offenses that stole the show with the bullpens and managers that made the difference. Andrew Benintendi knocked out four hits and scored three times, J.D. Martinez drove in two runs and Eduardo Nunez came off the bench to deliver a game-sealing three run homer.

The Sox pounced on every opportunity the Dodgers gave them. In the first inning, firstbaseman David Freese lost track of a pop up by Mookie Betts and allowed it to fall in foul territory. Betts took advantage with a base hit and Andrew Benintendi knocked him in on a base hit into right field. Yasiel Puig then made an ill-advised throw to the plate, which allowed Benintendi to get to second. J.D. Martinez took advantage of that mistake with a single, to give the Sox an early 2-0 lead.

In the fifth, Kershaw started off with a walk to Mookie. Then Benintendi lined a base hit to put two on with nobody out. Ryan Madson came on to replace Kershaw, and threw a wild pitch that moved both runners up. With the bases loaded up on a walk, Xander Bogaerts took advantage of the Dodger mistakes and knocked Mookie in with a ground out. Rafael Devers then singled in Benintendi and the Sox had a 5-3 lead after five innings.

Finally, in the bottom half of the seventh inning, Benintendi started off with a ground-rule double to left field that certainly should have been caught by Chris Taylor in short left field. Instead the Texas League blooper bounced in front of him and went into the stands. After an intentional pass to J.D. Martinez to set up the force, Dave Roberts brought in lefty Alex Wood to face Devers. Alex Cora countered and called upon a right handed batter, Eduardo Núñez, to pinch hit and he golfed a three-run home run in the Monster Seats, sealing an 8 to 4 win.

The Red Sox pitching came through in a big way in Game #2. David Price had complete and total control of this game and of the Dodgers lineup. And the Sox offense did what it needed to do. In the bottom half of the fifth inning, after two quick outs, and the Sox down a run, Christian Vázquez came through with a two-out single. Then Mookie Betts did the same and suddenly the tying run was in scoring position two outs for Andrew Benintendi. Benny would draw a walk, loading the bases and ending the night for Dodgers starter Hyun-Jin Ryu.

The Dodgers brought in the right-handed Ryan Madson in this bases loaded, two-out spot, and Steve Pearce drew a walk to bring in a run and tie the game up at two. That brought up J.D. Martinez who drove a two-run single into right field and the Red Sox had a 4-2 lead after five. Joe Kelly, Nathan Eovaldi and Craig Kimbrel all threw lights-out innings and the Sox had a two game to zero lead.

Game #3 became an instant classic, but the Sox were on the losing end of a 3 to 2 score. Dodger starter, Walker Buehler is one of the most talented young pitchers in the game, and looked every bit the part against this intimidating Red Sox lineup. With the Dodgers leading 1-0, Jackie Bradley Jr. sent a cut fast ball over the wall in right field to tie it up.

In the 13th inning, Brock Holt led off with a walk to bring up Eduardo Núñez. The first pitch was in the dirt, and Holt  advanced to second. Núñez then hit a little chopper to the pitcher and raced to first base. Meanwhile, the throw to the bag got away and Holt came around from second to score. The Red Sox were up 2-1.

In the bottom of the inning, things started off with a leadoff walk to Max Muncy. Cody Bellinger hit a pop up in foul ground on the left side. Núñez went all out, ending up in the stands with a catch for the second out of the inning. Muncy got to second on the play and then disaster struck. Yasiel Puig hit what should have been a game-ending ground ball to second base, but Ian Kinsler lost his footing, rushed the throw and had way more time than he thought. His throw was way off the mark and Muncy came around to score and tie the game.

Fast-forward to the 18th inning. Picked to start the fourth game, Nathan Eovaldi was called into action to start the 11th inning instead. Eovaldi, who had pitched his heart out, was still on the mound and neither team had really even threatened since the 14th.

Muncy led off the inning and got a 3-2 cutter, belt-high on the outside corner. Eovaldi was still standing on the mound, looking over his shoulder as Muncy's home run sailed over the left-field wall to give the Dodgers the walk-off 3-2 victory, ending the longest World Series game ever played. Eovaldi, who has had two Tommy John surgeries, threw 97 pitches and allowed just three hits and the one earned run over his six innings. That he felt frustration over the gut-wrenching loss is understandable, but it certainly was not shared by anyone else on the team. His teammates gave him a standing ovation in the clubhouse. Yes, the Red Sox lost, but Nate Eovaldi was the hero, putting up one of the strongest performances in World Series history.

The offense didn’t show anything in this Game #4. The Sox seemed dead in the water after six innings of play. Chris Sale then laid into his teammates, not with a pep speech like David Ortiz did in 2013, but with a rant. Sale hollered that Hill only had two damn pitches. He pointed with his pitching hand and extended his middle fingers for emphasis. He yelled at everyone a no one in particular.

The role players on the Red Sox roster then stepped up one by one, and they picked up the struggling stars. Mitch Moreland had the big three-run blast, then Steve Pearce tied it with a solo homer, and Rafael Devers drove in Brock Holt after he doubled. Pearce then slammed a bases-clearing double and Xander Bogaerts’ RBI single built up a five run lead. Mix in another incredible showing from Joe Kelly, and the Red Sox pulled it out, 9 to 6.

David Price was the story Game #5. Pitching on short rest and having thrown either in-game or in the bullpen in each of the last two games, the lefty tossed an absolute gem, rewriting his legacy by proving his postseason mettle, beating the Dodgers 5 to 1. He outdueled Clayton Kershaw and then some, lasting seven-plus innings and allowing just one run. After giving up a leadoff homer, he allowed just two more hits (one the J.D. Martinez lost in the sun). He retired 14 in a row until giving way to Joe Kelly who struck out the side in the eighth inning.  Then Chris Sale blew away the Dodgers in the ninth. Throw in a pair of homers by Steve Pearce and a homer each for Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez, and that’s a wrap. Pearce won the World Series MVP with three home runs and seven RBIs in the final two games.

The Red Sox not only conquered everyone they saw, they crushed them, winning their fourth championship in fifteen years. They romped to a 17-2 start, won 108 games in the regular season and went 11-3 in the postseason, dispatching the 100-win Yankees and the defending champion 103-win Astros, before putting away the Dodgers. There was nobody left. The Red Sox stood on top alone with 119 total wins, making them one of the greatest baseball teams in history.

 

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