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Strange Night at Fenway

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By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – Maybe it was the humid summer weather turning to sub-70 degrees and a chill setting in at Fenway Park? Or, maybe it was the fact the MLB umpires went to “Fall” gear? Maybe it was the fact the crowd of 37,007 gave former Red Sox star Rafael Devers the cold shoulder and a chorus of boos as he was announced pre-game and later when he took his first at bat in his old ballpark? Maybe it was former Sox pitcher, World Champion and Duckboat Captain Jake Peavy‘s presence in the building?

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Then again, maybe it was the fact two very good starting pitchers – Logan Webb (8-7, 3.50 ERA) of the San Francisco Giants and Sonny Gray (15-3, 2.65 ERA) – both struggling from the get-go, not sharp with extremely high pitch counts early in the game?

Boston prevailed, taking the first game of a three game series, 6-4. The Giants have lost nine of their last 12 games and stand at (52-76) on the season. Boston improved to (69-59)m three and one on the current six-game homestead and 5-3 over their last eight games. The Red Sox are 23-11 since the MLB All-Star break and 32-11 over their last 43 games.  Boston’s home record improved to 15-5 since the All-Star break and 20-7 in their last 27 home games, doing back to June 25.

Early on Friday night, Webb was sent packing after 2.2 innings pitched, five earned runs against, six hits, three walks and a hit batsman, as he threw 70 pitches with 41 strikes. He also let up a home run to Sox first baseman Willson Contreras in the third inning when Boston batted around and scored five runs on four hits but left three men on base.

On the other side of the scorebook, Red Sox ace and current Cy Young award contender, Sonny Gray, toughed it out for six innings, allowing four earned runs and seven hits while throwing 97 pitches (60 strikes). Gray allowed two home runs, back-to-backs, to centerfielder Drew Gilbert and then a meaningful drive to dead-center by Devers. The two HRs cut the Red Sox early lead to 5-3 in the fourth.

Boston picked up an important insurance run in the sixth inning when second baseman Nick Sogard singled to left and right fielder Wilyer Abreu knocked him in with a triple to right. That run closed out the scoring at 6-4 and a combination of Boston relievers Erik Miller, Alec Gamboa and then closer Aroldis Chapman cemented the victory for Gray, now (16-3).

Chapman struck out the Giants side in the top of the ninth to earn his 28th save of the season. Since Boston had trailed 1-0 in the top of the third inning, it earned its 30th come-from-behind victory.

The two clubs play the middle game of their three-game set on Saturday, a rare 7:15pm Saturday night special. San Francisco’s Blade Tidwell (0-0, 4.33 ERA) and Boston’s LHP Patrick Sandoval (1-2, 4.76 ERA) will take the mound in a game nationally telecast on FOX television.

Clark Takes Lead at BMW Championship

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ST. LOUIS – (Wire Service Report) – Wyndham Clark pulled off his second consecutive bogey-free 64 Friday to establish a one-stroke lead at the BMW Championship at the Bellerive Country Club.

Clark is 12-under-par 128 at the halfway mark of the FedEx Cup playoffs’ middle event. The top 30 in the points race after Sunday will qualify for the season-ending Tour Championship.

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Clark entered this week fifth in points thanks to a two-win season that included his second U.S. Open. He admitted a playoff win would look nice in his trophy case.

“Obviously majors are the No. 1, and then any time you can win any tournament’s big, but a signature event or a playoff event is massive,” Clark said. “I’ve been close in this event a couple times, so it would be nice to pull through and get a W.”

Clark made three birdies on each side Friday. He has hit 31 of 36 greens in regulation this week, leading the field, while getting up and down from the sand in all three attempts

While Clark is safely booked for Atlanta next week, Gary Woodland has everything to play for as No. 31 in the standings, currently the first player out. He birdied his last two holes to shoot a 5-under 65 and take sole possession of second at 11 under.

“I played nicely. I didn’t hit it as well as I did yesterday, where I was in complete control,” Woodland said. “The key for me was, I lost it a little bit on the back nine, lost some shots to the right, and I was able to adjust, kind of take a step back. … I checked my grip and hit four really great shots coming in on 17, 18, so proud of the adjustment I made there.”

J.J. Spaun (66) is third at 10 under. Sungjae Im of South Korea fired a 64 to tie Chris Gotterup (67) for fourth at 9 under, while Patrick Cantlay carded a 65 to join Michael Thorbjornsen (66) at 8 under.

Im (No. 40), Cantlay (No. 43) and Thorbjornsen (No. 41) are all vying to play their way into the Tour Championship field. Per the PGA Tour’s live standings, Thorbjornsen is projected to move into the 30th and final spot and Cantlay would only get to No. 31.

“I would say almost regardless of where I’m at, top of the FedEx Cup or on the bubble, I don’t really think about it,” said Cantlay, the 2021 FedEx Cup champion. “I definitely know the best way to move up that board is to play well this week and so I just put all my attention there.”

Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy dropped from a share of the lead to a tie for eighth at 7 under after posting a 69 Friday. He’s joined by Collin Morikawa (65), Russell Henley (66) and Maverick McNealy (66).

World No. 1 and FedEx Cup leader Scottie Scheffler bounced back from an opening 72 to post 65. That moved him to 3 under for the week, tied for 25th. There is no 36-hole cut in the three playoff events.

Scheffler carded two bogeys and two bounce-back birdies on the front nine before coming home in 5-under 30.

“Yesterday I had a couple nasty lip-outs and the greens were pretty chewed up late in the day,” Scheffler said. “Today get out there a little earlier on fresh greens, see a couple go in early, and things just start to look a little simpler when there’s not a lot of stuff in your way.”

–Field Level Media

The Return of Rafael Devers

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BOSTON – (Wire Service Preview) – As the Red Sox continue their American League playoff chase, a familiar face will pay a visit to Boston with the San Francisco Giants this weekend.

The teams begin a three-game interleague series on Friday night, with San Francisco slugger Rafael Devers returning to Boston for the first time since a blockbuster trade in June 2025.

Devers’ departure from the Red Sox was a sour one, stemming from a refusal to move from third base to first base or designated hitter following the team’s signing of Alex Bregman before last season. Ironically, he has played every game for the Giants at those slots in 2026.

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While Devers will likely receive at least a smattering of boos when he steps into the batter’s box, his legacy as a three-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger winner and 2018 World Series champion in Boston will never be forgotten.

“I feel very happy going back over there,” Devers said, via the San Jose Mercury News. “I love the fans. … I’m not concerned about the reception. I just know that they were very good to me.”

The Giants have dropped eight straight road series after taking a 5-2 loss to the Cleveland Guardians in their Thursday afternoon finale.

A two-run home run by Willy Adames accounted for all of San Francisco’s scoring. It was his 20th of the season, as he joined teammates Devers (25) and Casey Schmitt (21) at that plateau.

Devers went 1-for-3 with two walks and will return to Boston having hit safely in five of his past six games.

“At this point, there are so many transactions, there’s always that stuff going on,” Giants manager Tony Vitello said of Devers. “When the game starts, it’s just baseball.”

San Francisco right-hander Logan Webb (8-7, 3.50 ERA) will look to continue an outstanding August stretch on Friday. After pitching six innings of one-run ball Saturday in a win over the Colorado Rockies, Webb has allowed just two runs in 20 innings this month.

Webb is 0-1 with a 5.63 ERA in three career starts against the Red Sox.

The Red Sox spent Thursday taking a deep breath after completing a stretch of 16 games in 16 days with a 7-6, 10-inning loss to the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks the previous day.

“It feels heavy in our bodies this time of the year,” first baseman Willson Contreras said. “We grind through it. We played our best throughout 16 days in a row, and we lost (Wednesday). Tough loss, but it’s baseball. … Reset, come back and win.”

Contreras has strung together three straight multi-hit games.

That stretch also doubled as a breakout period for New Hampshire native Mickey Gasper, who hit his first three homers with the Red Sox in three days. He was recalled from Triple-A Worcester on Sunday, replacing Masataka Yoshida (hamstring) on the active roster, then went deep in three consecutive games beginning the following day.

“We have a handful of those on our roster who are grinders,” Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said. “But yeah, he’s a grinder. Like a lot of the guys who have been up here this year, he’s ready to go when called.”

Another, Nick Sogard, belted his first career homer in three major league seasons on Wednesday.

Tracy is set to hand the ball to Cy Young Award candidate Sonny Gray (15-3, 2.65 ERA), who has pitched shutout ball in two of his past three starts. He struck out seven Pittsburgh Pirates in a scoreless seven-inning start on Saturday, becoming a 15-game winner for the first time in his 14-year career.

“When you lose Garrett (Crochet), obviously going into the season as the ace of the staff, and what Sonny has done as far as leading our rotation, you cannot understate how important that’s been,” Tracy said. “Especially with some rookies in there.”

Gray recorded a victory against the Giants in each of the past two seasons, giving him a 4-1 career record with a 3.16 ERA in nine starts vs. San Francisco.

–Field Level Media

CBS Sports Mum On Tony Romo

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NEW YORK – (Wire Service Report) – CBS Sports president David Berson expressed concern about the brand’s image but did not offer a timeline for a decision about Tony Romo’s future with the network.

CBS held its NFL Media Day on Tuesday without its lead game analyst present. Romo is on leave due to the aftermath of his July 23 arrest in Wisconsin for allegedly operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

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“It’s an evolving situation and we are still assessing,” Berson told reporters Tuesday in New York. “There is no timetable or final decision at this time.”

A 45-minute bodycam video released by authorities showed Romo telling police he had not been drinking, but they found an open bottle of alcohol in his car, and that was enough for CBS to take him off the air, at least temporarily. The ex-Dallas Cowboys quarterback was later cited for refusing to take an intoxication test after his arrest.

Berson and CBS now must handle questions about Romo’s future in their football coverage plans. CBS has elevated former NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt to work aside Jim Nantz in Romo’s place. Tracy Wolfson again will be the sideline reporter for the Nantz crew.

Watt, 37, was the No. 2 analyst for CBS last season, teaming with veteran play-by-play caller Ian Eagle.

“We have to consider the impact on our image and our brand,” Berson said. “That’s very important to us. The focus should be and needs to be on our presentation and this great product and not on any others.

“Fortunately, we have a deep bench and everybody is stepping up.”

Romo, 46, is due in court on Sept. 21, and he likely would not return to the network before then, if he is retained.

Romo was hired by CBS in 2017. He re-signed with the network on a 10-year, $180 million deal that has four years and $72 million remaining.

–Field Level Media

Comcast To Air NFL Red Zone

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PHILADELPHIA – (Wire Service Report) – Comcast, the nation’s second-largest cable television provider under the brand Xfinity, has reached an agreement with Disney to lift the current blackout and resume airing the NFL Network and NFL RedZone to its roughly 11 million subscribers in time for the 2026 season.

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Disney owns 72% of ESPN, which took over NFL Media assets earlier this year. Shortly after the takeover, the contract with Comcast expired and the two parties could not reach an immediate deal.

Xfinity TV subscribers have been in the dark since the end of April.

Financial terms of the agreement were not announced. Disney was believed to have demanded higher fees and additional live game broadcasts, but it is unclear whether Comcast agreed to any of those demands.

The NFL Network was launched in 2003 and, as of June 2023, was available in 51.5 million homes across the United States.

NFL RedZone, hosted by Scott Hanson, was launched in September 2009.
–Field Level Media

Yanks Secure $2.6b in Private Equity

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BRONX – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The New York Yankees are receiving $2.6 billion in a deal with the private equity fund Apollo Sports Capital, the team announced on Tuesday.

The huge capital infusion for Yankee Global Enterprises will allow the team to refinance or retire much of its existing debt and then pursue new ventures, according to The Athletic.

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Hal Steinbrenner remains the Yankees’ managing general partner and the Steinbrenner family maintains full control of the historic franchise. Patriarch George Steinbrenner, who died in 2010, led a group of investors that bought the team from CBS for $10 million in 1973.

“We are continually seeking ways to strengthen our positioning, and this partnership allows us to explore pursuing strategic opportunities,” Hal Steinbrenner said in a news release.

An individual private equity fund can hold no more than a 15 percent stake in a club under the rules of Major League Baseball. The exact percentage of Apollo’s stake was not announced. Forbes’ annual list of MLB franchise valuations listed the Yankees at $8.5 billion in March.

In addition to the baseball team, Yankee Global Enterprises’ assets include the YES Network and stakes in MLS club New York City FC and Italian soccer team AC Milan, all of which could benefit from the new money.

Apollo Sports Capital is a branch of Apollo Global Management, a New York-based firm with nearly $1 trillion in assets under management. Apollo became the majority stakeholder of Spanish soccer power Atletico Madrid in 2025.

–Field Level Media

NFL Schedule: Here’s a Top Ten

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LOS ANGELES – (Wire Service Report) – Not only do the Los Angeles Rams have a reasonable shot at becoming the first team to win the Super Bowl on its homefield twice, the NFC West runner-up is by far the easiest team to find on the NFL’s 2026 broadcast schedule.

Seven times the Rams are positioned for a primetime slot — tying a league record — barring a slip from contender status that would prompt networks to invoke the “flex” option and reassign Sean McVay’s team to an afternoon kickoff.

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You’ve got to appreciate McVay’s offensive machine as much as the next NFL fan, but let’s survey the broader landscape for the 10 games we are circling on the 2026 schedule.

1. Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears, Friday, Dec. 25
Are the Packers still gutted by two heartbreaking losses to the Bears? They’ll never admit it. The drama on the field and sidelines restored one of the  game’s best rivalries. Chicago’s schedule strength adds a degree of difficulty the Bears didn’t face rising from the bottom of the NFC North to a division title in Ben Johnson’s first season. The Packers had owned this series in recent years and want to pull the pendulum northward.

2. Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys, Thursday, Nov. 26
Thanksgiving Day amplifies whatever the state of the Dallas Cowboys happens to be, and this one should be extra spicy. It hasn’t happened since 2014 and will be the third Turkey Day meeting between the teams. Cowboys fans are crossing their fingers the results will be better than the last time (33-10 loss in ‘14) and 1989, when the Eagles used two Randall Cunningham-to-Cris Carter TDs and Philly’s defense ransacked Troy Aikman at Texas Stadium, 27-0. Philadelphia hosts the first meeting of the 2026 season with Dallas on “Monday Night Football” in October.

3. Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots, Sunday, Dec. 6
Josh Allen ran the AFC East for nearly a decade and Drake Maye was more than the new kid on the block in 2025. He played like an MVP candidate — even winning in Buffalo — and the Patriots went 5-1 in the division. The only loss was a 35-31 barnburner at Gillette Stadium won by the Bills on Dec. 14. It was New England’s only loss between Sept. 28 and the Super Bowl.

4. Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks, Friday, Dec. 25
Fine, we can talk Rams, too Merry Christmas to those who celebrate, the NFL wrapped up a matchup between teams who combined for 26 regular-season wins and took the division duel down to the wire last season. Lumen Field won’t be a present for the Rams, but Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay have usually done just fine in enemy territory. The game falls one week after the one-year anniversary of Seattle’s memorable fourth-quarter rally from 16 down, forced overtime and walked it off with a 38-37 victory over the Rams.

5. Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals, Thursday, Dec. 31
Last season wasn’t a typical set of Bengals-Ravens games. The AFC North rivals split with an average margin of victory of 21 points. Rewind to 2025 and unleashed Lamar Jackson vs. bomb-happy Joe Burrow produced scores of 35-34 and 41-38 (overtime). If we get a New Year’s Eve snow game with division and playoff consequences, even better.

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6. New England Patriots at Seattle Seahawks, Wednesday, Sept. 9
A Wednesday night opener ahead of the Thursday Rams-49ers matchup in Australia, we’ll find out if the Patriots are better prepared for a Super Bowl rematch with months to prepare. New England oscillated from disjointed to complete disarray in the February loss to Seattle and didn’t have all oars in the water during an offseason when Mike Vrabel’s off-field, ahem, affairs were a constant talking point.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Chicago Bears, Sunday, Nov. 8
Baker Mayfield vs. Caleb Williams piques our interest in a midseason “Sunday Night Football” matchup with the undercard of Buccaneers head coach and defensive maestro Todd Bowles against Bears coach and offensive brain Ben Johnson. The Bucs fell short of the postseason in 2025 for the first time since 2019, while the Bears are trending upward after the franchise won a playoff game (well, two of them, actually) in January to snap a 15-year drought dating to 2011.

8. Dallas Cowboys at Seattle Seahawks, Monday, Dec. 7
Crossover games with the NFC West add a degree of difficulty to the Dallas schedule this season. While we wait to offer judgment on the revamped defense, the Cowboys are likely to bring all the smoke to test Seattle’s versatile, attacking defense in a game sandwiched between matchups with the Eagles and Rams for Dallas.

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9. Jacksonville Jaguars at Denver Broncos, Sunday, Sept. 20
Some called the Denver AFC West run last season but far fewer anticipated Jacksonville winning 13  games and dealing the Broncos one of the team’s three regular-season losses. First-year head coach Liam Coen reflects many of Broncos head coach Sean Payton’s qualities as a play-caller and designer, adding built-in entertainment value.

10. San Francisco 49ers at Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Dec. 27
What will the 49ers have left in the tank? San Francisco is setting a record for miles traveled in a season thanks to international treks to Mexico and Australia and the closing stretch for the 49ers is some kind of minefield from NFL schedulers. Patrick Mahomes and Brock Purdy are familiar foes but 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan has not beaten Andy Reid as a head coach (0-3). Two of those losses were agonizing Super Bowl defeats (LIV, 2020 and LVIII, 2024). After falling short of historical track and expectations in 2025, is the window closed on one or both of these longtime contenders?

–Field Level Media

Arctos Buys 10% of NFL’s Falcons

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ATLANTA – (Wire Service Report) Arctos Partners is adding a fourth NFL franchise to its portfolio by purchasing a 10% stake in the Atlanta Falcons, Front Office Sports and CNBC reported.

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The private equity firm already owns stakes in the Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Chargers.

The deal with Arctos includes a $10.6 billion valuation for the Falcons. Arctos will acquire the 10% stake in two stages, starting with a 7.5% stake, according to Sportico. A vote on the transaction is planned for October.

According to NFL rules, a private equity firm can invest in no more than six teams and the maximum stake size is 10%.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank owns about 73% of the team but it is unclear whether his shares are involved in the deal with Arctos, according to Front Office Sports.

Arctos, which is owned by the sports management company KKR & Co. Inc., also holds a stake in several franchises in the NBA, NHL and MLB.

–Field Level Media

Red Sox Squander Finale vs. DBacks

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BOSTON – (Wire Service Report) – An RBI single from Nolan Arenado and three walks allowed the Arizona Diamondbacks to score twice in the 10th inning and avoid a three-game sweep by beating the host Boston Red Sox 7-6 on Wednesday.

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After Arenado’s single drove in Gabriel Moreno to give the Diamondbacks a 6-5 lead, Boston left-hander Jovani Moran (2-3) walked the next three batters. The third walk he issued forced in pinch runner Max Kepler from third to make it 7-5.

Boston’s Ceddanne Rafaela scored when Willson Contreras grounded out for the second out in the bottom of the 10th, but right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga (4-3) retired Caleb Durbin on a pop-up for the game’s final out.

The Red Sox received a three-run home run from Mickey Gasper, who also homered in Boston’s victories on Monday and Tuesday. Boston also hit two solo home runs, one by Nick Sogard and the other by Jarren Duran.

Lars Nootbaar slugged a pinch-hit, two-run home run for the Diamondbacks in the sixth inning. It was his fourth home run of the season, and his first since he was traded from St. Louis to Arizona on Aug. 3.

The Red Sox led 1-0 after Sogard homered on the Diamondbacks’ first pitch of the game. It was the first home run in the 93rd game of his MLB career and ended Arizona starter Brandon Pfaadt’s streak of 33 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run.

Boston extended its lead to 2-0 when Duran hit his 17th home run of the season in the third. His home run also came on the first pitch of the inning.

Three doubles plus a walk allowed the Diamondbacks to take a 3-2 lead in the fifth. Arizona cut Boston’s lead in half on back-to-back doubles from Jose Fernandez and Ryan Waldschmidt. After Corbin Carroll walked with two outs, Moreno came up with a two-run double that drove in Waldschmidt and Carroll.

Nootbaar’s home run pushed Arizona’s lead to 5-2 in the sixth, but Gasper’s three-run homer against Pfaadt tied the game, 5-5, in the bottom half of the inning. Pfaadt was replaced by right-hander Juan Morillo, who coaxed the final out of the stanza.

–Field Level Media

Hot Sox Hope to Continue Resurgence

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FENWAY – (Wire Service Report) – Something has to give when one of the hottest pitchers in all of Major League Baseball faces a smoldering hot Boston offense in Wednesday afternoon’s series finale between the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks and Red Sox.

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Arizona right-hander Brandon Pfaadt (7-1, 3.11 ERA) has allowed no earned runs in his last four starts. He’ll be facing a Boston team that has scored 20 runs on 29 hits in the first two games of the series. The Red Sox prevailed 11-1 Monday and 9-4 Tuesday.

Pfaadt began the season in Arizona’s starting rotation, but was moved to the bullpen after three starts. He was optioned to Triple-A Reno on June 3, when he had a 5.92 ERA.

In nine starts since being recalled on June 30, Pfaadt is 7-0 with a 1.15 ERA. He’ll enter Wednesday’s game having pitched the last 33 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run.

“I wish I could tell you what the magic potion was because I’d give it to everybody,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said after Pfaadt got the win in a 2-0 victory over Atlanta on Friday. “It’s work ethic and it’s confidence that’s continuing to develop every single day.”

Pfaadt is 1-1 with a 5.59 ERA in two career starts against Boston, which will have left-hander Payton Tolle (8-6, 2.97) on the mound. Tolle, who is in his rookie season, is 0-1 with a 15.00 ERA in one career start against Arizona, giving up five runs over three innings in his second career start last September.

Boston will be seeking its first series sweep since it won three straight against the Chicago White Sox from Aug. 4-6. The Red Sox lost series against the Athletics, the Toronto Blue Jays and the Pittsburgh Pirates before their bats came alive against the Diamondbacks. Boston has scored in 11 of the 16 innings they’ve batted in so far in this series.

Catcher Adley Rutschman was 1-for-17 with an infield single, five walks and nine strikeouts in his first six games after Baltimore traded him to Boston, but has four hits in the first two games of the series. He had a solo home run and a two-run single during Tuesday’s win, which improved Boston’s record at Fenway Park to 14-4 since the All-Star Break. The Red Sox are 31-31 at home this season.

“We said that early on when it wasn’t going well that we’re going to have to get things turned around here, turn the season,” Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said. “So actually, to go on the road — not that we wanted to lose games on the road — but have some struggles on the road and then be able to come back and immediately flip the switch and look like, ‘All right, now this looks like home cooking and we enjoy playing here.’ That’s a really good sign to protect our home turf. So that’s been welcome, and it was needed.”

Arizona has played both games against Boston without second baseman Ketel Marte, who was placed on the restricted list after he didn’t show up to the field on Monday. Marte returned to Arizona Tuesday to have an MRI on his left knee.

“That’s what I’ve been told, but overall my focus has shifted,” Lovullo said. “My focus (Monday) was squarely on this topic, but right now, it’s on the 26 players that are inside of the clubhouse.”

–Field Level Media

Can Sox Continue Power Surge

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FENWAY – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston Red Sox catcher Adley Rutschman liked what he saw from his team’s offense Monday night.

Rutschman undoubtedly hopes to see similar production when the Red Sox face the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday in the second contest of a three-game series.

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Boston collected 16 hits during Monday’s 11-1 victory over Arizona, including seven doubles and two home runs. Everyone in the starting lineup for the Red Sox had at least one RBI, and the team went 6-for-13 with runners in scoring position.

“That’s what this team is capable of,” Rutschman told NESN after the game. “Every guy stepping up. It’s a big thing that (Boston interim manager Chad Tracy) said when we were on that huge win streak. Everyone stepping up huge every night (and) it’s a different guy every night.

“Just seeing everyone do their thing was awesome. It was a fun game to be a part of. First game at Fenway (since he was traded from Baltimore). Can’t ask for a whole lot more.”

Rutschman is 3-for-23 since joining the Red Sox, but two of those hits came during Monday’s win.

“It’s tough,” he said. “You gotta stay with the process. It’s nice to put some good swings on balls and get rewarded.”

Arizona played without second baseman Ketel Marte, who was placed on the restricted list Monday after reportedly not showing up at Fenway Park. Following the game, Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said he wasn’t sure if Marte will be with the team Tuesday.

“He didn’t show up (Monday) and he was put on the restricted list,” Lovullo said. “That’s as much as I know right now. I’m sure in time we’ll start to uncover and unravel some information. I knew there was something going on (Monday) when I met with (the media), but I still believed he was going to be here. He just didn’t show up.

“I was doing my best to reach out to him and there was very little coming back … We’re going to figure out a way to work through this.”

Lovullo also said it was the first time Marte hasn’t shown up – or hasn’t shown up on time – this season.

“The players are gritty,” he said. “They rally around one another. I know there was a lot of discussions about it at different points in time in the clubhouse today. There was a lot of curiosity. We care for Ketel. Once we knew he was OK I think everybody started to relax and focus on the game.”

Boston’s Willson Contreras belted his career-high 25th home run of the season Monday.

Arizona right-hander Merrill Kelly (8-10, 4.44 ERA) will attempt to quiet the Boston bats Tuesday. He’s 2-1 with a 2.66 ERA in three career starts against the Red Sox.

Left-hander Ranger Suarez (4-3, 3.25 ERA) is scheduled to start for Boston. He has a 1-4 record and a 6.91 ERA in 11 career appearances (eight starts) against Arizona.

–Field Level Media

Diamondbacks Aren’t Forever

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BOSTON – (Wire Service Report) – Boston’s Mickey Gasper and Willson Contreras each hit a solo home run as part of a 16-hit attack that propelled the Red Sox to an 11-1 victory over the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday in the opener of a three-game series.

Caleb Durbin and Ceddanne Rafaela each collected three hits for the Red Sox, who received two RBIs from both Gasper and Wilyer Abreu.

Boston’s Brayan Bello (5-6) held the Diamondbacks to one run on three hits in 4 2/3 innings of relief to collect the win. Arizona starter Mitch Bratt (1-2) allowed three runs on four hits in three innings.

The Diamondbacks placed second baseman Ketel Marte on the restricted list before the game. The team did not give a reason for the move, but multiple outlets reported that Marte did not show up to Fenway Park.

The Red Sox grabbed a 2-0 lead in the second on an RBI single by Eli White that drove in Durbin and a Nick Sogard double that scored White.

It was 3-0 after Durbin drove in Contreras with a single in the third, and the Red Sox took a 4-0 lead when Sogard scored on a Rafaela double in the fourth.

Boston added three more runs to extend its advantage to 7-0 in the fifth.

Contreras led off with his 25th home run of the season. Adley Rutschman scored on Andruw Monasterio’s sacrifice fly and Durbin came home on Gasper’s groundout. Two of the three runs were unearned, as the Diamondbacks committed two errors in the outfield after the homer.

Ildemaro Vargas scored on Geraldo Perdomo’s sac fly to make it 7-1 in the top of the sixth, but Boston responded by scoring twice in the bottom half of the inning. Abreu’s single drove in Rafaela, and Abreu stretched the lead to 9-1 by scoring on a Rutschman double.

Gasper led off the seventh with his first homer of the year, and Abreu’s RBI single drove in Rafaela later in the inning to cap the scoring.

–Field Level Media

Pirates Take Series From Red Sox

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PITTSBURGH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Nick Yorke had three RBIs while playing in his first game in exactly three months, while Bryan Reynolds and Brandon Lowe each drove in two to help the host Pittsburgh Pirates secure an 8-3 win over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday afternoon.

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Despite a 2 1/2-hour rain delay between the sixth and seventh innings, the Pirates secured the series victory and have won three of their past four as they attempt to stay alive in the National League postseason race. Boston has split its past four games after losing five in a row.

Yorke was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis on Sunday and played for the first time since May 16 before he was optioned to the minors. Yorke’s two-run single off Red Sox starter Patrick Sandoval (1-2) in the third put the Pirates ahead 6-0 and highlighted a five-run inning for Pittsburgh.

The Pirates struck for two runs in the bottom of the first after Esmerlyn Valdez hit the first of his two doubles. Reynolds and Lowe followed with back-to-back RBI singles that put Pittsburgh ahead 2-0.

The same trio kickstarted the big third inning in the same fashion. Valdez followed Jared Triolo’s single with a double, and Reynolds and Lowe followed with run-scoring singles. After Yorke’s big hit, Henry Davis pushed Pittsburgh’s lead to 7-0 on a sacrifice fly.

Connor Wong, who finished with two hits, gave the Red Sox some hope when he belted a three-run home run off Pirates reliever Hunter Barco in the fifth inning. Barco was also recalled from Triple-A on Sunday after Pittsburgh optioned right-hander Wilber Dotel and infielder Jack Brannigan.

Kirby Yates (1-5) replaced Barco in the seventh when play resumed and pitched a scoreless inning.

Sandoval gave up seven runs on nine hits and three walks while striking out six over four innings. Raymond Burgos, who was recalled Sunday from Triple-A Worcester, pitched four innings — and remained in the game even after the rain delay — as he allowed one run on two hits and one walk, and had one strikeout.

Dexter’s Báez Sets MLB Debut HR Mark

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CHICAGO – (Staff and Wire Report) – As the visiting St. Louis Cardinals search for a series victory over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday afternoon, it will be tough to top a historic day at Wrigley Field.

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In St. Louis’ 8-4 road win on Saturday, the organization’s No. 3 prospect, Joshua Baez, became the first player in major league history to hit three home runs in his debut. Baez grew up in Boston and attended Dexter-Southfield High School in Brookline where he was named Massachusetts Baseball Player of the Year.

“It’s unreal,” Baez said. “I really can’t put it into words, but it’s honestly just a dream come true. I was just trying to stay calm, embrace it and just try to have fun.”

When the dust settles from Baez’s incredible introduction, a win on Sunday would mark the first time since 2022 that the Cardinals clinched both road series at Chicago.

Hunter Dobbins (2-3, 3.40 ERA) has pieced together a pair of decent starts in August but received zero run support across 11 1/3 innings in two losses. Last time out, Dobbins went five innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on four hits while striking out six and walking three in a 6-5 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday. The Cardinals offense scored five runs after Dobbins’ exit.

In his previous start, Aug. 4 on the road against the New York Yankees, Dobbins turned in a quality start but lost 2-0. He allowed two earned runs on four hits in 6 1/3 innings.

The 26-year-old right-hander has walked three batters in each of his past two starts and needed 97 pitches to get through five frames against the Phillies.

“I guess the one thing I can take away is that I competed,” Dobbins said of his last outing. “I’ve got to find a way to execute pitches in all counts. You’ve got to stay ahead of hitters, pound the strike zone early and just stay in attack mode.”

Dobbins, who was traded from Boston in December as part of a package that sent Willson Contreras to the Red Sox, has faced the Cubs twice in his career — both outings this year. He allowed five runs in nine innings in two appearances against Chicago. On May 31, he earned a save in the 5-1 win after throwing 3 2/3 innings, giving up one run on four hits. On July 27, he pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed four runs on seven hits in a 7-4 loss.

In a 10-4 start to August, the Cubs have won three consecutive series and seek their fourth in a row. Chicago, which was on the wrong side of history on Saturday, allowed its most runs since an 8-7 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 26.

“He hit three different pitches for home runs,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said of Baez’s debut. “He had a great game. He just beat us, for sure.”

Edward Cabrera (5-4, 5.10) will look for better success against Baez and the Cardinals on Sunday when he returns to the major league mound for the first time in nearly two months. The 28-year-old right-hander was placed on the injured list with a left hamstring strain on June 24 following a lackluster stretch. Cabrera posted an 8.35 ERA in four June appearances before the injury.

The offseason acquisition in a trade with the Miami Marlins made three minor league rehab appearances, going 0-1 with a 2.53 ERA across a start with Double-A Knoxville and two with Triple-A Iowa.

“Edward pitched very well,” Counsell said of Cabrera’s last minor league start, which saw him hurl five no-hit innings against the Double-A Rocket City on Tuesday. “The line indicates that.”

Cabrera is 0-2 with a 3.52 ERA in three career starts against St. Louis.

–Field Level Media

–Field Level Media