The Red Sox dugout was filled with emotion Sunday afternoon at Globe Life Field.
This comes with the territory of a club fighting for a playoff spot late in the regular season. But it was a different slate of feelings for Boston in Texas, where one of the visitors put together a standout performance while playing with a heavy heart.
Wilyer Abreu, who found out his grandmother died Saturday night, crushed two home runs in the Red Sox's 7-2 win over the Rangers. The second round-tripper was blasted following a rare decision from manager Alex Cora, who let the left-handed Abreu stay in the game after Texas summoned a southpaw from the bullpen.
The clutch dinger, which signaled the first multi-homer game of Abreu's young career, amped up the Red Sox.
"We were absolutely fired up," Jarren Duran told NESN's Tom Caron after Boston's series triumph. "We're all here for him and we got his back. We all love him and we're going to support him as much as we can. To see him do that, it's an awesome thing. We're proud of him."
Abreu's impressive showing marked the latest memorable moment for these Red Sox, who continue to defy the odds and stay relevant in the postseason conversation. Boston will try to keep the magic alive this week in Kansas City, where it will meet the Royals for a crucial three-game set.
