We all have Randy Winn to thank for this.
The Red Sox completed their most impressive homestand of the season Sunday night, sweeping Manny Ramirez and the Dodgers out of town to finish an 8-1 romp over interleague foes. The six-game winning streak the Sox take to Coors Field tonight extends an overall 24-8 run that has vaulted Boston to the brink of first place in the AL?East.
It all seemed so unlikely exactly five weeks ago. A day after blowing a hideous 11-9 game in the ninth at Yankee Stadium on May 17, the Sox were poised to repeat their sins. The Yanks put the winning run on second with one out in the ninth.
But Jonathan Papelbon struck Winn out to end the game, and fortunes were reversed. While Boston has soared, the Yanks and Rays have stumbled — leaving the Sox, once 8 1/2 games out and in fourth, just one game behind.
And consider this additional bit of karma: In the only two seasons the Red Sox played games at Coors Field (2004, 2007), they’ve won the World Series. Enjoy the summer, everyone.
