Red Sox explode for 10 runs, crush Rangers as Ceddanne Rafaela tallies three hits

After a brutal road trip and a much-needed day off Thursday, the Red Sox returned to Fenway Park and delivered arguably their best home performance of the season, routing the Rangers 10-1 on Friday night.

The game initially looked like more of the same that we've seen from the Red Sox lately. Texas jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead after opening with back-to-back singles, and Wyatt Langford drove in the game’s first run with an RBI single to left field. From there, however, Boston seized control and never looked back.

The Rangers’ lead was short-lived as the Red Sox offense immediately went to work against right-hander Jack Leiter.

In the bottom of the first, leadoff hitter and designated hitter Mickey Gasper drew a four-pitch walk to spark the rally. Although he was forced out at second on a ground ball by Ceddanne Rafaela, who then promptly stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by catcher Kyle Higashioka. Wilyer Abreu then lifted a sacrifice fly to center, tying the game at 1-1.

Willson Contreras wasted little time putting Boston in front for good. The veteran first baseman jumped on Leiter’s first pitch, a 98.4 mph four-seam fastball, and launched it into the Green Monster seats for his 14th home run of the season.

Boston broke the game open with a four-run fifth inning, stringing together three consecutive doubles from Gasper, Rafaela, and Abreu to start the frame. Contreras followed with an RBI single and advanced to second on a throwing error by third baseman Josh Jung as Abreu came around to score. Jarren Duran moved Contreras to third with a groundout before Caleb Durbin capped the rally with a sacrifice fly, turning a 2-1 lead into a commanding 6-1 advantage.

Leiter’s night ended after five innings. The right-hander allowed six runs, five earned, on eight hits while walking two and striking out three. He threw 103 pitches, 63 for strikes.

Sonny Gray weathered a rocky first inning before taking complete control. After surrendering singles to three of the first four batters he faced as Texas grabbed a 1-0 lead, Gray retired the next 14 Rangers in order, striking out six during the stretch. Joc Pederson’s leadoff single in the sixth finally ended the run, but Gray still turned in his third consecutive quality start, allowing just one run on five hits over six innings while striking out seven and issuing no walks. 

Gray has allowed three earned runs or fewer in 11 of his 12 starts, and one or no runs in seven starts. The righty has a 2.36 ERA in eight starts since April 20 (48 innings). 

Remember Cal Quantrill? Two years ago, while the Red Sox were in Colorado, the right-hander and former Boston catcher Reese McGuire were involved in a benches-clearing incident. Fast-forward to Friday night at Fenway Park, and Quantrill hit Connor Wong with a pitch in the seventh inning before plunking Contreras after Abreu’s 421-foot blast to dead center.

Abreu entered the night mired in a slump, batting just .194 with a .535 OPS over 33 plate appearances in June. He looked much more like the hitter Boston saw early in the season, however, sandwiching a towering seventh-inning home run between a pair of doubles.

Rafaela also enjoyed a breakout performance, collecting two doubles and a home run. His first double in the third inning was a perfectly placed 81.6 mph blooper that landed just fair before bouncing into the stands for a ground-rule double. His second double was scorched at 100.2 mph, and he capped his night by launching a 96.8 mph laser into the Green Monster seats.

Facing Luis Curvelo in the eighth, Wong drew a one-out walk and scored on Rafaela’s two-run shot. Abreu and Contreras followed with back-to-back doubles, with Contreras’ hit giving Boston its first double-digit scoring game at Fenway Park since Sept. 2, 2025.

The Red Sox bullpen finished the job with scoreless innings from Tyron Guerrero, Danny Coulombe, and Tommy Kahnle, capping one of the club’s most complete home victories of the season.

With the win, Boston improved to 28-39 and 11-21 at Fenway Park while moving to 8-28 when its opponent scores first. A victory on Saturday or Sunday would secure the Red Sox’s first home series win since taking two of three from the Brewers on April 8, as that remains the club’s lone home series victory in 10 tries at Fenway this season.

The series continues Saturday afternoon with a marquee pitching matchup as left-hander Ranger Suárez (2-3, 3.18 ERA) takes on Rangers ace Jacob deGrom (5-4, 3.18 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET.