The Boston Red Sox had to have a spark on Monday night in their final game before the 2024 MLB trade deadline.
Fresh off losing a series to the New York Yankees, the Red Sox saw a window of opportunity against the Seattle Mariners and talented starter Logan Gilbert.
Wilyer Abreu stepped to the plate in the third innings with two runners on. Connor Wong came in to score on a wild pitch to score the game’s first run during the at-bat. That occurred as a part of a bigger battle between Abreu and Gilbert. The two grinded through 12 pitches before Abreu laced a single to right field to score Jarren Duran to double the Red Sox lead.
After Duran beat out a throw to first to spoil a double-play ball, Abreu made the most of the opportunity for the Red Sox.
“It felt really good to win that battle,” Abreu told reporters through translator Daveson Perez, per NESN’s postgame coverage. “… It was a really long at-bat. Trying to maintain focus. I just wanted to keep things simple and not do too much.”
The Red Sox completely took over at the plate from there, tallying seven runs in the frame and 10 over a two-inning stretch en route to a 14-7 victory over the Mariners. The offense did its part to wipe away a frustrating weekend and reset momentum with under 24 hours until the trade deadline.
“It was a really long weekend,” Abreu added. “This is a new week. We’re focused on putting our best foot forward. Focusing on getting better.”
