BOSTON — Instant reactions from the Red Sox’ 6-4 win over the San Francisco Giants on Friday at Fenway Park:
1. The Red Sox improved to 69-59 overall and 32-32 at home. The Giants dropped to 52-76 and 23-43 on the road.
2.Willson Contreras recorded both the farthest and hardest hit balls in play by a Red Sox hitter this season when he belted a 452-foot, 116 mph home run over the Green Monster seats in the third inning. The three-run shot put the Red Sox ahead 3-1. He broke his own team highs of 449 feet and 114.9 mph set earlier this season.
It also marked the longest home run hit at Fenway Park this season.
3. It wasn’t hit longest ball in play ever. Contreras’ longest career home run came in 2021, a 464-foot blast. His hardest hit ball in play came in 2023 with a 117.5 mph exit velocity.
4. Interim manager Chad Tracy interestingly used left-handed rookie Alec Gamboa in the eighth inning with the Red Sox ahead 6-4. Tyron Guerrero’s availability was unclear, though Tracy may have been playing the matchups with two left-handed hitters due up. Gamboa got left-handed hitter Bryce Eldridge to line out to left field and left-handed hitter Jung Hoo Lee to ground out to first base. He then struck out Osleivis Basabe swinging to end the inning.
5.Rafael Devers returned to Fenway Park for the first time since Boston traded him to San Francisco on June 15, 2025. And he returned with a bang. He pulled the Giants to within one run at 5-4 in the fourth inning with a 412-foot solo home run to center field.
6. Devers was mostly booed with some light cheering mixed in when he stepped to the plate for the first time in the first inning. After the first inning, the Red Sox played a tribute video. Devers received a round of applause and acknowledged the fans.
7. Devers went 1 for 3 with a home run and walk in his return. Devers, 29, signed with the Red Sox as an amateur international free agent on Aug. 9, 2013, as a 17-year-old. In 1,053 games over nine seasons with Boston, Devers batted .279 with a .859 OPS, 215 home runs, 273 doubles, 12 triples and 696 RBIs.
8. It looked like it could be a pitchers’ duel with three-time All-Star Sonny Gray (2.65 ERA in 23 starts) against three-time All-Star Logan Webb (3.50 ERA in 22 starts). But the Red Sox knocked out Webb with two outs in the third inning. The Giants right-hander allowed five runs, six hits and three walks while striking out two.
9. Gray also didn’t have hisbest stuff but earned the win. Friday marked just the fourth time in 24 starts this season that Gray has allowed four or more runs. He allowed four runs, seven hits and two walks while striking out six in six innings. He gave up back-to-back home runs to Drew Gilbert and Devers during a three-run fourth inning for the Giants.
10. The Red Sox went ahead 6-4 with two outs in the sixth inning when Giants right fielder Jung Hoo Lee misread Wilyer Abreu’s 107-foot line drive. Lee initially came in and then had to sprint back. The ball went off his glove all the way to the warning track for an RBI triple. Nick Sogard, who had singled with one out, scored.
11. Left-handed reliever Erik Miller — who the Red Sox acquired from the Giants for Marcelo Mayer at the trade deadline — threw a perfect seventh inning and struck out two. He has allowed just one unearned run and has struck out 14 in 8 ⅓ innings with Boston.
12. The Red Sox and Giants will play the second game of their three-game series at 7:15 p.m. Saturday. Left-hander Patrick Sandoval (1-2, 4.76 ERA) is scheduled to pitch for the Red Sox while right-hander Blade Tidwell (0-0, 4.33 ERA) will start for San Francisco.
More Red Sox coverage- Rafael Devers gets loud boos, responds with homer vs. Red Sox in Fenway return
- After Red Sox traded for him 18 days ago, reliever sits down old teammates in ‘weird’ experience
- Red Sox rookie ‘was definitely surprised’ to pitch eighth inning; ‘It was crazy’
- Willson Contreras’ 452-foot moonshot leaves Red Sox in awe: ‘He hit it a ton,’ says manager
- Red Sox’ Sonny Gray pushes through without best stuff, eyes possibility of 20th win
Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Leave a Comment