Red Sox Win 15 Straight, Turn Lost Season Around

The Boston Red Sox were drowning in a lost season just weeks ago, sitting 14 games below .500 and seemingly out of contention. Then something magical happened at Fenway Park.

The Red Sox rattled off 15 straight victories, tying a franchise record that stood since 1946 and electrifying their home crowd in the process. The streak ended Wednesday night with a 5-1 loss to the Orioles, but nobody in that stadium of 38,005 fans seemed to mind.

"That was a great ride," said catcher Willson Contreras, summing up what became one of baseball's most improbable turnarounds this season. The team has gone 20-3 since late June, climbing from last place into playoff position.

Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley, who experienced a 14-game winning streak with the 1988 Athletics, watched from Fenway's Legends Suite. He pointed out the difference between that championship team and this one: "We didn't start 14 below .500."

The transformation has been total. Before the streak began, Boston sat 32-46 and trailed by 15.5 games in their division. Now they're 52-49 and hold the third Wild Card spot, just two games ahead of Seattle.

After the streak-ending loss, veteran leaders Contreras and pitcher Sonny Gray called an impromptu team meeting. Their message focused on pride, not disappointment.

"We tied a record since 1946," Contreras told his teammates. "That's not easy to do. We made history."

The Ripple Effect

The winning streak changed more than just the standings. It shifted the entire organization's mindset heading into the August 3 trade deadline.

Instead of selling off pieces from a lost season, Boston's front office now has reason to add talent for a playoff push. The players have proven they can compete with anyone.

Even in defeat, the Fenway faithful stayed loud and hopeful. Down four runs in the eighth inning, the crowd roared "Let's go, Red Sox" with runners on base. When a drive to the warning track fell short, they rose again in the ninth inning, waiting for another comeback.

Interim manager Chad Tracy noticed the shift. "They were thinking, 'Let's stick around and see if they load the bases,'" he said. "That's how it felt, which was awesome."

The Sox have conditioned their fans to expect the improbable over these past few weeks. Even when history didn't happen, hope remained alive in Boston.