It's starting to feel like one of those summers.
it's the same vibe that was building in 2013, although that year the distraction was a Bruins Stanley Cup final run and then the craziness of Aaron Hernandez's arrest. By the time June 11 came around that year, the Red Sox were 40-26 and in first-place, but the excitement percolation was just beginning.
In 2018, the Red Sox were 45-22 11 days into June, just 1/2 game back of the Yankees. They were a good team that was just about to get great, and thanks to their stars being stars -- and that early-season taste of excellence -- most could feel something memorable coming.
This year? Well, after night's like Friday it's hard to imagine that a 2002-esque cliff is coming. (Remember that team? They were 41-21 on this date and in first-place before becoming very forgettable.)
Alex Verdugo's ninth-inning walk-off hit, scoring pinch-runner Danny Santana, was the punctuation for the latest feel-good story, handing the Red Sox a major league-best 23rd come-from-behind win.
Verdugo sends Fenway into a frenzy pic.twitter.com/noLWlkbmoU
— Red Sox Stats (@redsoxstats) June 12, 2021
This, however, was one of those that separates itself.
“Take advantage of Fenway,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “Today was one of those days that, yeah, we were behind, but it never felt like it was out of hand. We were a few at-bats away from doing a few things. Today, Fenway was electric. It’s another great Friday night at Fenway. It was fun.”
The comeback came after falling behind by four runs and weathering the kind of starting pitching awkwardness that usually does in a team. In the first inning, when Garrett Richards loaded the bases with one out and a run already in while sitting at 35 pitches, it was already setting up to be one of those nights.
But next thing you know he isn't exiting in the sixth inning with his team still in it.
And when Hirokazu Sawamura came on and proceeded to surrender Vlad Guerrero Jr.'s MLB-best 19 homer, pushing the Toronto lead to 5-1 in the sixth, resignation started to set back in. (Guerrero Jr., by the way, hit the ball 110.3 mph or better three times on this night.)
Yet, sure enough, along came three Red Sox runs in the bottom of the sixth, followed by Christian Arroyo's second game-tying home run in as many nights in the eighth.
The imperfect Red Sox had once again found a path to a perfect ending.
They allowed the Blue Jays' hitters to 16 balls in play at 100 mph or better. Sox pitchers gave up 16 hits, ultimately stranding 13 runners. But no matter.
The Red Sox and their Fenway fans got to celebrate once again. It's a feeling everyone is getting used to.
