Record-setting night
Sox grab 106th, top seed
Soon after the Red Sox beat the Orioles last night for their 106th win of the season, most in franchise history, Dustin Pedroia asked Alex Cora if he could address the team.
The 35-year-old is out for the year, still holding on to hope that he’ll suit up for the Red Sox again sometime in the future, but he’s won two World Series titles and is the longest tenured player in the organization.
“He’s been here the longest,” Cora said. “He talked to the team, and I did, too, but it felt appropriate that he was the one that addressed them. He’s been here since 2006 and won a few championships. It’s a shame he could only play a few games, but it was appropriate for him to address them.”
For Pedroia to feel sentimental spoke volumes to Cora, who once surrendered his job to the franchise second baseman but is now the manager of the best regular-season team in Red Sox history.
“He just said we have a special group,” said MVP candidate Mookie Betts, who hit his 32nd homer in the second inning. “He’s enjoyed being around when he’s been here. He kind of keeps us all level-headed, let’s us know what we did wrong or what did right, what we can work on, all those types of things. He’s a veteran guy that’s been around, has done everything we’re trying to do. It’s great for him to be here.”
The Sox’ 106th win not only pushed them past the 1912 team, but also clinched home-field advantage throughout the postseason, including the World Series.
Home field at Fenway Park could be influential given the Red Sox have an MLB-best 55-21 record (.724) at home, their best home winning percentage since 1949 and the best home winning percentage since the 1998 Yankees (.765).
“Home-field advantage, especially with our fans, is pretty important,” Betts said. “I think it’s just, we have a great team, man. We’re showing it. We’re enjoying playing the game together, for sure.
“You’re going down in history. Your name is a part of something special.”
The Sox also learned a few important things.
They may have found their No. 4 starter and/or a quality set-up guy.
Nathan Eovaldi was brilliant again, striking out 10 over five shutout innings. After he held the Yankees to just one run over six innings last week, he’s now allowed just six hits over his last 11 innings while striking out 15.
It was a strong performance, one that ought to give Cora confidence in Eovaldi as the fourth starter in the postseason behind Chris Sale, David Price and Rick Porcello.
“We don’t know who we’re going to play, but we understand the matchups and where we can go,” Cora said.
But whether it’s the Yankees or the A’s in the Division Series, Eovaldi has earned an important role.
“He’s a workhorse, we can use him out of the bullpen, and then we can use him in the rotation,” Cora said.
Behind him, and making just his second career relief appearance, Eduardo Rodriguez dominated in two scoreless innings on just 24 pitches.
Rodriguez will pitch again on Friday on just three days’ rest as the Red Sox take a look at the powerful lefty in a relief role.
Betts continued to power the offense. He also stole his 29th base and remains just one shy of becoming the second Red Sox player ever to go 30-30 (Jacoby Ellsbury, 2011).
“I still don’t think I’m a home run hitter,” Betts said. “I think I’m just trying to drive the ball in the gap and it goes over sometimes.”
The last hitter with as many Betts’ 83 extra-base hits in a season in which he played 140 games or fewer was Joe DiMaggio in 1941.
Betts and the Sox continue to set records this year. This time, they’re soaking it in.
“Everybody is talking about it,” Cora said. “It’s a historic franchise. For me, personally, coming from where I come (in Puerto Rico), being able to manage at the big-league level, I’m the second Puerto Rican to ever manage in the big leagues, you guys know how I feel. … For this to happen is very special.
“We sit down at home and sometimes we’re in awe, like, this is really happening? It’s been great. It’s been fun. We’re going to call timeout and enjoy this one, and we’re going to get back to business (today). But we should enjoy this one.”