The Red Sox split their doubleheader with the Blue Jays Wednesday, losing 4-1 in Game 1 while returning the favor with a victory by the same margin in the nightcap.
There was plenty to pick through. When you play 14 innings of baseball there always is.
But, let's be honest, the biggest takeaway from 5 hours and 3 minutes of late-July big-league ball was watching two players: Tanner Houck and Jarren Duran.
What transpired on this one day was part of the equation, but really what the pair represent heading into the regular season's final two months was the thing.
The irony shouldn't have been lost on anyone heading into the 8 o'clock hour. With the news of the Yankees' trade for Rangers slugger Joey Gallo just breaking, Houck and Duran were helping the Red Sox mark their territory at Fenway Park.
Houck cruised through the first three innings of his seventh major league starter, notching six of his first nine outs via strikeouts. Ultimately, the righty would allow one run over four innings.
“I felt good. I felt really confident with all my pitches today," Houck noted. "In the bullpen, just felt right coming out of the hand early. Continued that into the game and the rest is history. Felt happy with everything and truly got to work all the pitches in tonight.”
Shortly after Houck finally allowed that first hit -- a Vlad Guerrero Jr. double to lead off the fourth -- Duran did his thing.
He is hitting just .172 with a .598 OPS, striking out 11 times in 29 at-bats, but it is moments like Duran's race around the bases that offers an idea of what might lay ahead.
“As soon as I got to third, he started waving me and I was like, 'I’m absolutely gassed' and I was just hoping I could make it to home without falling,” Duran said. He added, "I mean, in college, we used to preach, like, we shouldn’t need our third base coach. it was all about us. We have our head, we can use it as a swivel so I guess at Long Beach State, we did so much baserunning I developed that skill to be able to look around the whole entire field and continue to run."
"Take a look at him, I told Timmy (Hyers) and Alex just look at him because that’s how fast he is," Red Sox manager Cora said. "He put some good at-bats but he’s a game changer. His speed changes the game, that’s what we’re looking for. It’s a weapon and it was fun to watch him run the bases."
“That was a crazy, crazy play, for sure," Houck said. "I’ve always known he was definitely the fastest guy out on the field at every point of the game. Seeing that was truly something I don’t think you’ll see again for a while."
What does all of this mean for the Red Sox (who now carry a 2 1/2 game lead over the Rays after Tampa Bay's third straight loss? It means they have the kind of weapons that can make a difference at a time it matters most.
Maybe it will be Houck as a high-leverage reliever. Perhaps Duran becomes the guy who is rotated in for times that best fit his skill-set. So be it. They seem to be both be parts of the solutions while making the Red Sox feel like they have a few less problems.
This time of year, such gifts are gold. That was the reminder Wednesday night supplied.
