The Boston Purple Sox capped the unofficial first half of the season with a 5-4 victory towards the Kansas Metropolis Royals at Fenway Park on Sunday afternoon.
Boston, which enters the MLB All-Star break a season-high 11 video games above .500, at present possesses the ultimate wild-card spot within the American League. The Purple Sox are simply 4 1/2 video games again of the American League East-leading Baltimore Orioles and one sport again of the New York Yankees. Boston was 14 video games behind New York on June 14.
Whereas talking to reporters previous to Boston’s series-clinching win, Purple Sox supervisor Alex Cora provided his big-picture takeaway from the primary half.
“I believe no person thought that might be potential,” Cora instructed reporters, as seen on NESN. “There’s a bunch of individuals in that clubhouse — nicely, all people in that clubhouse believes we will pull this off and we will win the division. That’s why I preserve saying, ‘You bought to intention excessive. You bought to maintain going on the market.’
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“We’ve performed rather well all through the final month and a half. Even after we battle, we play .500 baseball, which is essential. … We received plenty of video games left with plenty of good groups, however I believe folks can say we have now a very good crew. We’re within the dialog and there’s going to significant video games performed right here in September.”
Cora’s sentiments are echoed all through the clubhouse, particularly given the Purple Sox are coming into the break after successful 10 of their final 13 video games. Boston is an MLB-best 9-3 in July and now are 31-18 of their 49 video games since Could 19, the league’s greatest file in that span.
“We’re simply going to maintain grinding,” Jarren Duran instructed NESN’s Tom Caron after the sport. “We’re a very good crew, we’re scrappy and we’re doing actually good proper now. We’re simply attempting to have some enjoyable.”
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Listed below are extra takeaways after the Purple Sox-Royals sequence finale:
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— Regardless of making 94 consecutive begins, the second-most by any Purple Sox participant since 1994, Duran confirmed early on he has lots left within the tank. Duran (4-for-5, run) recorded 4 hits in his first 4 at-bats together with a lead-off double by which the speedster flew out of the batter’s field.
“It tells you we had been able to play right this moment,” Cora mentioned of Duran’s instincts. “If you received a man like that setting the tone, it’s at all times good.”
— Purple Sox slugger Rafael Devers gave the Purple Sox a 2-1 lead within the first inning with an early house run that broke a seat in proper discipline.
— Devers and Duran every have 45-plus extra-base hits, solely the fifth time two Purple Sox teammates have completed the feat coming into the break, per J.P. Lengthy.
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— Kenley Jansen instructed Cora and firm he was obtainable for 2 innings Sunday, and that’s precisely what the veteran reliever delivered. It marked the primary six-out regular-season save of Jansen’s profession, per MLB.com’s Ian Browne.
“I believe it was an amazing day to select all my guys up right this moment,” Jansen instructed reporters, as seen on NESN.
— The Purple Sox enter the break having tallied a 3.58 ERA amongst beginning pitchers (95 video games). Boston’s bullpen has compiled a 3.67 ERA, each numbers that are enhancements from final yr right now. The Purple Sox even have a crew common of .254 with a plus-43 run differential, as seen on NESN.
— Purple Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow spoke with NESN’s Dave O’Brien and Kevin Youkilis throughout the second inning of Sunday’s contest. Breslow seemingly hinted the Purple Sox might be patrons earlier than the MLB commerce deadline July 30.
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“We have to be serious about alternatives for us to enhance the membership,” Breslow mentioned, as seen on NESN.
— The Purple Sox are 15-1 this season after they play on Sunday.
— The Purple Sox return from the MLB All-Star break and journey for a six-game highway journey. Boston opens the second half towards the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night time with first pitch scheduled for 10:10 p.m. ET.
