Abreu’s Seventh-Inning Blast Lifts Red Sox Above .500

Wilyer Abreu hit a two-run home run in the seventh inning to lift the Red Sox past the Rays on Sunday, pushing Boston above the .500 mark and extending what’s shaping up to be a genuinely compelling stretch of baseball. This wasn’t just another win—it was the kind of comeback that tells you something about a team’s character, especially against a division opponent at Fenway.

What’s most encouraging is how the Red Sox are finding different ways to win. Saturday’s performance showed they can dominate with dominant starting pitching and offensive firepower. Sunday’s comeback win reveals they can stay composed in tight situations and execute the clutch hit when it matters. That’s the foundation of a legitimate contender. Abreu, in particular, has become a reliable run-producer in the middle of this lineup—the kind of guy who shows up in meaningful moments.

The Rays came to Boston with postseason aspirations of their own, so this isn’t a victory over a pushover. Tampa Bay plays disciplined, competitive baseball every single night. The fact that the Red Sox got this one back late, with Abreu delivering the go-ahead blast, suggests Alex Cora’s crew has genuinely figured something out at the plate and on the mound. You don’t stumble into above-.500 baseball in July—you build it through consistent execution.

What happens next matters. This team needs to sustain this momentum. The depth in the bullpen—with names like Aroldis Chapman, Tommy Kahnle, and Garrett Whitlock—gives Cora reliable arms late in games. The rotation, led by Sonny Gray and Ranger Suarez, has been serviceable. If this roster can keep stringing together performances like this one, combining pitching depth with timely hitting, we’re looking at a team that could genuinely compete down the stretch.

For now, enjoy the ascent above .500. It’s not a championship, but it’s proof that this version of the Red Sox is built to win ballgames.