The Boston Red Sox complete a series sweep over the Angels, improving to 40-48. They’re 12.5 games back of the Rays for the American League East. They’re four games back for the final spot in the American League wild card standings.
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MLB Game Recap
Friday
The Red Sox got a run after Romy Gonzalez led off the second with a triple as Jarren Duran drove him home with a sacrifice fly. Gonzalez, in the third, singled home two runs, then Duran reached on a sacrifice bunt and drove home a run. In the fifth, Caleb Durbin hit a solo home run to make it 5-0, Boston. The Angels got two in the eighth on a solo home run and an RBI single, but it wasn’t enough as Boston took the first game 5-2.
Jake Bennett went 7.2 innings, a career high for him. He allowed two runs on five hits, no walks, and six strikeouts. Aroldis Chapman picked up his 17th save of the season with a scoreless ninth. He also became baseball’s reliever strikeouts record holder with 1,364 strikeouts.
Saturday
Boston opened the scoring again with a Willson Contreras three-run home run. The Angels got one back on a solo home run. That was their lone run of the game as it was all Red Sox. Wilyer Abreu doubled home two runs in the fifth, and Romy Gonzalez hit a two-run home run to make it 7-1. Ceddanne Rafaela doubled home another run in an 8-1 win.
Sonny Gray went six innings, allowing a run on four hits. He walked two and struck out seven, improving to 10-1. The bullpen consisted of Jovani Moran, Greg Weissert, and Alec Gamboa, who shut the Angels down. They didn’t allow a hit, walked one, and struck out two.
Sunday
The Angels opened the game two runs down. They got a fielder’s choice where no out was recorded, and then a single made it 2-0. The Red Sox tied it in the second on a Jarren Duran two-run home run. The Angels took the lead back in the second on an RBI double. In the third, Willson Contreras hit a three-run home run to give the Red Sox their first lead of the night, making it 5-3. In the bottom half, the Red Sox saw Ranger Suarez leave after he recorded back-to-back strikeouts, then a single; he said he felt a pinch in his groin when he threw the pitch.
The Red Sox added to their lead in the seventh as Wilyer Abreu brought a run home on a sacrifice fly and Masataka Yoshida singled home a run, making it 7-3. In the bottom of the eighth, the Angels got an RBI single. In the ninth, they got a solo home run, but the comeback ended there as the Red Sox won 7-5.
Suarez went 2.2 innings, allowing three runs on six hits. He didn’t allow a walk and struck out five. Greg Weissert replaced him, going 1.1 innings; he didn’t allow a base runner and struck out two. Tyron Guerrero, Garrett Whitlock, and Justin Slaten combined to take care of the fifth to eighth innings. They combined for four innings, allowing a run on two hits, one walk, and four strikeouts. Aroldis Chapman had the ninth, allowing a run on one hit. He didn’t issue a walk and struck out two, picking up his 18th save. Weissert got the win, improving to 1-2.
Standout Series Performer
Willson Contreras hit .308 in the series with a 1.246 OPS. He had a double, two home runs, six RBI, and three runs scored.
Key News & Notes
Here Come the Sox
They’ve won 11 of their last 16 games, but more importantly, they’ve won eight of their last ten games. During the ten-game stretch, they have a 3.46 ERA, a 3.50 FIP, a 1.10 WHIP, and a 9.3 K/9. They have a .704 OPS during the stretch, averaging five runs per game.
Red Sox All-Stars
The Red Sox have two All-Star representatives, both pitchers, as closer Aroldis Chapman and left-handed starter Ranger Suarez will be there. It’s surprising that right-handed pitcher Sonny Gray, who’s third in the American League in ERA and first in wins, wasn’t named. Also, first baseman Willson Contreras, whose OPS is ninth in baseball, wasn’t named to the team, but he may be a replacement for Vladimir Guerrero, who has opted out already.
Willson Contreras
Willson Contreras will likely be suspended today; the question is whether it will be the original seven games, which puts him back a week from Friday following the All-Star break for the nightcap of a doubleheader. If it’s shortened to six games, he’d return for the first game of the doubleheader, and anything less than six, he’s back before the All-Star break.
Injury Update
Tristan Casas was shut down with a wrist injury. Casas hasn’t taken an at-bat since May 2, 2025. He went 0-1 in his lone at-bat and left the game with a rib injury, but other issues have popped up and have caused him to remain out.
Patrick Sandoval made another rehab appearance, this one in Portland on Saturday, going five scoreless innings. He allowed a hit, a walk and struck out seven.
Nick Sogard is also rehabbing in Portland. In three games, he’s hitting .111 with a .444 OPS.
Next Up
The Red Sox return as they head to Chicago to face the American League Central Division leaders in the White Sox. Payton Tolle gets the ball, bringing his 4-6 record with a 3.39 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP, and 74 strikeouts in 74.1 innings.
Farm Report
- Worcester Red Sox (AAA): The WooSox dropped Friday’s game 8-7, then Saturday’s game 6-5, before rebounding 7-3 on Sunday.
- Portland Sea Dogs (AA): Portland swept the final three games against Altoona, winning 9-3 on Friday, a 3-2 walk-off on Saturday, and a 10-0 win on Sunday.
- Greenville Drive (A+): Greenville lost 7-1 on Friday and 8-3 on Sunday, taking Saturday’s game 12-3 against Winston-Salem.
- Salem RidgeYaks (A): Salem won Friday and Saturday, taking a 7-4 win over Augusta on Friday, then on Saturday a 1-0 win before the Green Jackets won 4-1 on Sunday.
- FCL Red Sox (ROK): FCL Red Sox lost the makeup against FCL Twins on Saturday 5-2 and their normally scheduled game 10-9.
- DSL Red Sox Red (ROK): The DSL Red Sox Red lost 4-1 on Friday to DSL LAD Mega. They rebounded to beat the DSL Padres Gold 4-3 on Saturday.
- DSL Red Sox Blue (ROK): DSL Red Sox Blue lost 5-3 to DSL Astros on Friday.
