Having demonstrated that they can play with -- and beat -- one of the best teams in baseball, the Red Sox have another project, on tap: once again becoming a force at Fenway Park.
In the aftermath of the Red Sox 9-4 win over the Minnesota Twins Wednesday night, a victory which gave the Red Sox the series at Target Field, manager Alex Cora didn't take long before looking ahead for another item on his "To-do list,'' noting that the next goal was to play better at home.
Following a disastrous opening road trip on the West Coast that saw the Sox dig a sizeable trench for themselves by going 3-8, the Sox have been one of the best road teams in either league.
Wednesday's win was the ninth win in their last 10 road games, but their dominance stretches back farther. After the Sox dropped a two-game set in Yankee Stadium in mid-April -- their first road series after the season-opening meltdown -- they've since gone 20-8, a winning percentage of .714.
They've piled up five consecutive winning road trips and have lost just two road series since then: losing two of three in Houston and dropping two of three in New York, a series that was rain-shortened and technically doesn't resume until the fourth game is made up in August.
That .724 percentage represents the best winning percentage in MLB in that span, and even if one includes the 3-10 road start, the Sox are tied with the Twins for most road wins this season in the American League.
But at home, it's been a different story.
Normally dominant at Fenway, the Sox are merely .500 to date at 17-17, and though the season is fast approaching the halfway point, they've won just two series at home this season.
A year ago, in sharp contrast, the Red Sox posted a 57-24 mark for a blistering .703 percentage. Only five other teams through the game won as many as 50 home games and none won more than 53.
So, what's happened?
- The offense has been good, but not great at Fenway. While the Sox have been averaging 5.35 runs per game, a figure only bettered at home by Texas (5.74), that's somewhat misleading for while the Sox have had four games in which they scored in double-figures against poor teams (once with Detroit and twice against Seattle), they've also scored two runs or fewer in almost one-quarter of their games (eight times in 34 home games).
- In the pitching department, the Red Sox are decidedly middle-of-the-pack. Their ERA at Fenway is 4.49, ranking them seventh among American League teams. In particular, the bullpen has been an issue at home, with Boston relievers blowing five of nine save opportunities.