Red Sox Rally Past Giants to Complete Sweep

The Boston Red Sox capped a dominant homestand with a 5-4 comeback victory over the San Francisco Giants on Sunday, finishing a three-game sweep. The win was sealed after the Sox, who trailed 3-0 in the second inning, stormed back to lead by the fourth and held on for the one-run win.

Nick Sogard hit his second career home run, a 415-foot blast off a 3-2 fastball from Giants starter Matt Wilkinson, to start the rally. Sogard's shot cleared the Green Monster and cut the deficit to two runs. The Sox then chipped away with a run driven in by Ceddanne Rafaela in the third, after Jahmai Jones led off with a triple and scored. In the fourth, Connor Wong tied the game with an RBI double, Mickey Gasper gave Boston the lead with a double, and Rafaela added an insurance run.

Jake Bennett, making his first start in eight days, was effective despite a rough opening inning. He struck out six batters over seven innings, allowing three earned runs (and one unearned) on seven hits with one walk. After giving up two early runs, Bennett settled down, retiring 18 of the last 21 batters he faced and finishing with a strikeout of Rafael Devers.

The Giants had taken an early 3-0 lead with two first-inning runs after Rafael Devers walked and consecutive singles followed, then Jonah Cox's solo homer in the second made it 3-0. But Boston's offense responded with five unanswered, taking a 5-3 lead by the fourth.

In a game that wasn't short on strange moments, Christian Koss scored in the seventh on a play that the Associated Press and The Boston Globe described as a 'Little League home run.' Koss reached on a throwing error by Andruw Monasterio that got past Willson Contreras, then rounded second and kept running when Wilyer Abreu's throw to third sailed over the base and into a camera well, allowing him to score unaided.

Tyson Guerrero pitched a scoreless eighth inning, and Aroldis Chapman earned his 29th save, holding the Giants' comeback to a one-run contest.

Injuries, though, marred the day for the Giants. Willy Adames left the game with a left elbow injury, and Victor Bericoto exited with a right knee, the Giants said.

The Sweep and a Resurgent Home Stretch

The win capped a homestand in which the Red Sox went 5-1, improving to 71-59 on the season. With the victory, Boston is now 7-3 over its last 10 games after a five-game skid that matched its season high. The Boston Globe reported that the Red Sox won five of six games during the homestand against the Giants and Diamondbacks.

Saturday night's game provided a dramatic walk-off win as the Red Sox downed the Giants 3-2 even before Sunday's finale. The winning run came in the ninth, when Eli White slid home safely to score. A crew chief review of the play at the plate upheld the call, making it the fourth walk-off win of the season at Fenway.

Interim manager Chad Tracy admitted it was a tense wait during the review, with players celebrating on the field while officials checked whether the run counted. Tracy said he was hoping the call would stand because of all the celebration happening. Nick Sogard described the delay as "weird." In the end, White's run stood, and the Red Sox celebrated again.

Fenway's sellout crowd of 36,478 saw the Red Sox load the bases in the eighth with no outs but come up empty, then mount a late rally in the ninth with a walk, a hit batsman, a fielder's choice, and Sogard's double to cut the deficit to one. With the tying and winning runs on base, Wilyer Abreu, who had struck out four times earlier in the night, came to the plate. According to Tracy, the previous at-bats became an afterthought in that situation.

Looking Ahead

The Red Sox head to Miami for a three-game set against the Marlins starting Monday, where Boston left-hander Ranger Suarez faces Sandy Alcantara. The Giants return home to host the Reds on Monday, with Chase Burns taking the ball for Cincinnati against Carson Whisenhunt.

Sunday's game also marked Boston's 16th consecutive sellout at Fenway Park, a streak that continues to underscore the team's strong home support.