BOSTON — Since spring training, Alex Cora has been preaching about the importance of the Red Sox again making Fenway Park a tough place for visiting teams to play.
That hadn’t been the case in recent seasons, as the Red Sox weathered three straight years in which they failed to finish with a winning record. Too often, either the ballpark was teeming with visiting fans, or the home team didn’t provide much to cheer about.
But from the first homestand this season, that changed. Fenway got loud, especially on Friday nights, turning the ballpark into a real home field advantage for the Sox.
The goal was to get back to the postseason so that the fans could again create the kind of hostile atmosphere that existed in the 2018 and 2021 postseasons.
Consider what took place Friday night to a preview of coming attractions. As the Red Sox chipped away at a 3-0 deficit against the Detroit Tigers, the Fenway crowd, one of the biggest of the season, was waiting for a chance to explode.
By the time the Sox polished off the comeback in the bottom of the ninth on a walk-off triple from Ceddanne Rafaela to clinch both a 4-3 win and a spot in the postseason, Fenway had regained its trademark electricity.
“Even before we scored that run to put us within striking distance,” said Garrett Crochet in a noisy, champagne-soaked clubhouse, “I felt like everyone was extremely engaged. We owe a lot to the fans. They stuck with us through thick and thin throughout the season and ultimately, we expect to ride them in the postseason as well.
“They showed up and showed out since mid-summer and we expect that to continue through the fall.”
Once the Red Sox tied the game in the eighth, the ballpark became deafening, with fans willing the Sox to complete the comeback.
“(Alex Cora) has talked about it all year,” said outfielder Jarren Duran, “that when we have the crowd behind us, it’s a weapon. I’ve never experienced it to this magnitude, it was absolutely insane. It gives me chills to hear them cheering us and getting on the other team.”
The Red Sox will have to play the entirety of a wild card round on the road first. But if they can get past that first round, they would host Games 3 and 4 of the Division Series back at Fenway.
“It’s going to be crazy,” said Duran. “God willing, we’re able to get back here and get some October baseball for these fans because they’re very deserving of it.”
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