The Boston Red Sox faced significant travel disruptions en route to Citi Field for their game against the New York Mets. Despite a series of delays, the team secured a 6-2 victory, extending their winning streak to seven games.
The travel ordeal began on Thursday afternoon in Chicago after the Red Sox completed a three-game sweep of the Chicago White Sox. The team headed to Chicago Midway International Airport around 6 p.m. local time for their chartered Delta flight, but encountered a mechanical issue with a tow cart, leading to a delay of over six hours.
As midnight approached, team officials decided to postpone their flight to New York until Friday morning. This required head of team travel Mark Cacciatore to rebook over 50 hotel rooms for the team’s roster, coaches, support staff, and broadcasters, who had already checked out of their downtown Chicago hotel. The team eventually departed Midway around 12:30 a.m. and arrived at their hotels around 2 a.m.
Further Delays and Team Spirit
On Friday morning, chartered buses picked up the Red Sox from their two hotels, returning them to Midway. They boarded the same chartered Delta flight, but another mechanical problem arose: a lightbulb in the cockpit was not functioning. This second issue caused an additional four-hour delay at the gate.
Interim manager Chad Tracy attempted to boost team morale during the delays. Before the second issue was announced, he shared news from chief baseball officer Craig Breslow that center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela had been named an American League All-Star replacement. Rafaela expressed happiness and emotion upon hearing the news, which provided a lift for the team.
During the extended wait, the team was provided with bagels, donuts, breakfast sandwiches, and chicken wings. Pitcher Sonny Gray, known for his meticulous pre-start routine, was observed pacing the aisles, balancing annoyance and amusement at the situation. Pitcher Payton Tolle noted the team’s shared experience, stating, “You spend 10 hours in an eight-foot tube with each other, you get closer.”
Arrival and Game Performance
The mechanical issue was finally resolved around 2 p.m. CT/3 p.m. ET, and the Red Sox’s flight departed. Initially, the flight was scheduled to land at Newark International Airport, but due to the ongoing delays, the crew rerouted to LaGuardia Airport, which is closer to Citi Field.
Red Sox officials coordinated with the Mets regarding a potential game delay, as neither team wanted to schedule a Saturday doubleheader. The Red Sox finally landed at LaGuardia around 4:30 p.m. ET and proceeded directly to Citi Field by bus, bypassing their hotel. They arrived at the park around 5 p.m., less than three hours before the originally scheduled 7:15 p.m. first pitch.
The game’s start was delayed by 35 minutes, beginning at 7:50 p.m. Despite their exhausting travel day, the Red Sox quickly took a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Anthony Seigler and Wilyer Abreu contributed home runs, and Gray delivered six strong innings, allowing one run. The Red Sox ultimately defeated the Mets 6-2, marking their seventh consecutive win.
Gray improved his record to 11-1 with a 2.54 ERA, allowing one run over six innings. He has maintained a 9-0 record with a 2.03 ERA in his last 13 starts. Tyron Guerrero, Garrett Whitlock, and Greg Weissert closed out the game for the Red Sox. The team’s victory brought them within 1 1/2 games of the third American League wild-card spot.
In the first inning, Seigler reached base on an error by Juan Soto. Rafaela moved Seigler to third with a bunt, and after Nolan McClean walked Abreu, Masataka Yoshida hit a changeup down the left-field line, scoring both Seigler and Abreu. Abreu later hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning, his 11th of the season, to secure the victory.
Source: nytimes.com