Red Sox Cap First 9-0 Road Trip Since 1977

The Boston Red Sox finished a 9-0 road trip on Sunday, their first perfect trip since 1977. Boston beat the New York Mets 3-2 in 10 innings to close the sweep. The road trip dragged the Red Sox from last place into the wild-card chase.

How Boston Turned a Lost Season Around in Three Weeks

The Red Sox swept the Los Angeles Angels, Chicago White Sox and New York Mets on the trip. Boston last went 9-0 away from home from July 29 to Aug. 7, 1977. Francisco Lindor booted a possible game-ending double play in the ninth on Sunday. Anthony Seigler then lifted a sacrifice fly in the 10th for the 3-2 win.

The Red Sox have won 14 of their last 16 games and 17 of 22. Boston posted a 2.53 ERA over the last 16 games. The Red Sox averaged 4.9 runs per game in that span, up from 3.9 across the first 78. The surge pulled Boston within a half-game of the final wild-card spot.

The turnaround followed a firing. Boston dismissed World Series-winning manager Alex Cora and most of his staff on April 25 after a 10-17 start. Interim manager Chad Tracy went 12-10, then slumped to 10-19 from May 22 to June 24. The Red Sox have since ripped off a 14-2 run beginning June 25.

That 14-2 run began on June 25 with a 6-3 win over the New York Yankees. Left-hander Ranger Suarez will skip the All-Star Game with a groin injury. Boston still enters the break as the majors’ hottest team. The Red Sox have climbed the standings despite the injury to Ranger Suarez.

Boston earned this trip the hard way. The Red Sox outscored the Mets 13-4 across the three games. Reliever Garrett Whitlock closed Sunday with a perfect 10th inning for the save. Boston even survived two plane breakdowns, printing “Show and Go Airlines” T-shirts.

The climb matters because Boston started the trip buried in the AL East. The Red Sox now sit a half-game from a playoff berth at the break. Home has been the problem for Boston all year. The Red Sox are 17-27 at Fenway Park, 10 games under .500 at home.

Boston opens the second half at home against the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays on Friday. Boston went 9-0 on the road but owns the majors’ worst home record. The Red Sox have never made the playoffs with a losing record at Fenway Park. The 9-0 road trip bought the Red Sox time, not a cushion.