Boston

Celtics visit Fenway, watch Red Sox rally from 4-run deficit to beat Blue Jays

Manager Alex Cora called it perhaps the team's best win of the season

Getty Images

The Boston Celtics made Fenway Park the latest stop on their post-NBA championship tour.

The Red Sox marked the occasion by coming through with what manager Alex Cora called perhaps their best win of the season.

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Jarren Duran drove in Ceddanne Rafaela with a ninth-inning single to help the Red Sox cap a furious rally and beat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-6 on Monday night.

BOSTON, MA - JUNE 24: Jarren Duran #16 of the Boston Red Sox reacts as he is doused with Gatorade after hitting a game winning RBI walk-off single during the ninth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays on June 24, 2024 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Rafael Devers and David Hamilton both added two-run home runs for Boston, which has won 10 of its last 12 and is a season-high seven games over .500 at 43-36.

“They’re feeling good about themselves. It feels like we can do damage at anytime," Cora said. "We’ll see where it takes us.”

Toronto’s seven-game losing streak is its longest since September 2019.

Kenley Jansen (3-1) pitched a scoreless inning to get the win.

Rafaela chopped a grounder off Toronto reliever Zach Pop (0-2) to Spencer Horwitz to lead off the ninth, but Horwitz had trouble getting the ball out of his glove, allowing Rafaela to reach safely.

Pop balked, allowing Rafaela to advance to second. Duran then singled to right allowing Rafaela to score, sliding past George Springer's throw home.

It was Boston's third walk-off victory and 17th comeback win of the season.

“That was my first walk-off, so have to put it at the top,” Duran said. “We went down and we fought back. We never gave up. … We just did everything right today and we kept it really, really simple and just kept rolling.”

Toronto appeared to be in control after Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a towering three-run home run over the Green Monster and out of Fenway Park during a five-run seventh inning to put the Blue Jays in front 6-2.

The next inning Celtics star Derrick White was shown on the video screen wearing a “Baseball Isn't Boring” T-shirt.
Not long after Toronto starter Chris Bassitt was replaced by Nate Pearson in the eighth, and Pearson gave up a two-run homer to Hamilton that brought Boston within 6-4.

Left-hander Tim Mayza came on for Pearson with two out the inning and yielded a single to Devers. Tyler O'Neill doubled up the middle, moving Devers to third. Rob Refsnyder was then intentionally walked to load the bases.
Romy Gonzalez hit a line drive to left field that scored Devers and O'Neill to tie the game.

Bassitt allowed five hits and two runs over seven innings.

Boston starter Tanner Houck allowed five hits, three runs and struck out over 6 2/3 innings.

“There’s only one chance to have the NBA champions in your clubhouse,” Cora said. “I think it was a good night at Fenway.”

Champs visit

The Celtics interacted with Red Sox players in the clubhouse before the game and took the field for a pregame ceremony.

BOSTON, MA - JUNE 24: Sam Hauser #30 of the Boston Celtics holds the Larry O'Brien Championship trophy during a pre-game ceremony in recognition of the NBA Finals Championship before a game between the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays on June 24, 2024 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 24: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics holds the Larry O'Brien Championship trophy as he is introduced during a pre-game ceremony in recognition of the NBA Finals Championship before a game between the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays on June 24, 2024 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 24: Manager Alex Cora of the Boston Red Sox talks with Derrick White #9 of the Boston Celtics before a pre-game ceremony in recognition of the NBA Finals Championship before a game between the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays on June 24, 2024 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Team owners, front office members, coaching staff and players all walked on wearing Red Sox jerseys. Stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown were the last to enter, jointly toting the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

Tatum, Brown, White, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford then all threw out ceremonial first pitches.

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