The Cleveland Guardians' star José Ramírez stared down Josh Winckowski in a 7-7 tie with the Boston Red Sox. With runners on first and second, all the third baseman would need is a hit to take the lead.
He delivered with a single to center field and Steven Kwan scored. Cleveland wasn't finished, though — a sacrifice bunt and intentional walk later, Estevan Florial singled to center field to score Andrés Giménez and Ramírez. Cleveland emerged victorious from a back-and-forth race and they put the Red Sox away 10-7 after 11 innings.
But the Guardians didn't get there easily. They raced out to a 5-1 lead by the top of the fifth inning with a little help from an error by Wilyer Abreu and the keen eye of their manager, Stephen Vogt.
Josh Naylor singled to right field but Wilyer Abreu booted it. Then, he fired in to Connor Wong at the plate to try and catch Andrés Giménez coming home. Wong snapped the ball into his glove and grazed Giménez for the out. But Vogt's challenge got the call overturned — he challenged that Wong blocked the plate, and he won, despite the throw bringing him into the base path. Ridiculous.
The Red Sox help bury themselves again in extra-innings loss to Guardians
The Red Sox managed what would have been an incredible rally. Triston Casas snuck his fifth home run of the season around the pesky pole, Wong mashed his second long ball of the year, and a two-RBI double by Rafael Devers put the Sox on top in the sixth inning, but it ended up being for naught.
Devers left the game after his near-heroics with knee discomfort and Bobby Dalbec took over for him at third base. Dalbec was the final out of the bottom of the eighth inning despite audible cheers in his favor that rang through a sparsely crowded Fenway Park.
Kenley Jansen entered for Boston in the ninth inning even with his questionable command as of late. It continued against the Guardians.
After collecting a quick lineout of Gabriel Arias, Jansen let up three consecutive hits and the Guardians tied the game, 6-6.
The Red Sox couldn't do any damage in the bottom of the ninth and they entered extra innings. With the bases loaded in the top of the 10th inning, Arias dropped a single into center field to score Brayan Rocchio and take a 7-6 lead.
The Sox answered back in their half of the frame, but Wong's sac fly wasn't enough to get ahead of the Guardians' late rally, which spoiled Boston's earlier one. Three runs in the top of the 11th was enough to send the Sox packing, and Boston is now in sole possession of last place in the AL East.