Buzz building in Boston over never-say-die Sox

BOSTON -- Of all the big moments that took place on a wild Friday night at Fenway Park in what turned into one of those old-school Red Sox-Yankees matchups, what stood out most was the buzz.

If you listened closely enough, you could hear the crowd of 36,661 vocalizing its growing belief in a team that came into the season with very few expectations outside of its own clubhouse.

After a thrilling 9-7 victory in which the home team withstood a majestic three-run missile over the back wall in center field by Aaron Judge, spectators were shrieking with excitement as they exited the ballpark.

“I usually go down there at 6:30 for a 7:10 game, and there were a lot of people here,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “There was a buzz. They know where we’re at in the standings. Every game matters now. The back and forth was great. The boys didn’t stop.”

Earlier in the day, the front office signaled that they were in by acquiring veteran lefty James Paxton from the Dodgers to fill out the rotation. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow noted that he likely isn’t done and will continue to pursue bullpen help, a right-handed bat and perhaps another starting pitcher.

Unlike the previous two seasons, this Boston team -- 5 1/2 games back in the American League East and one game back in the Wild Card standings – has earned the confidence of the front office.

And if any of Red Sox Nation didn’t share that confidence, they likely did after Friday night’s surge back in the late innings.

“There’s a big difference between what’s going on here right now compared to earlier in the season,” said Cora. “With all due respect, it felt like a museum earlier in the season, the Fenway experience. But now, they’re into it and they like the team and understand who we are and what we’re trying to accomplish. Are we the best team in the big leagues? We’re not. We know that. But the way we go about it on a nightly basis, I know people are liking what they see.”

In the top of the seventh inning, it sure looked like Judge would be the story, as he hit that mammoth Statcast-projected 470-foot shot and Austin Wells followed with a solo blow,

Suddenly, a 4-3 Boston lead turned into a 7-4 edge for the Yankees.

But Ceddanne Rafaela started the climb back for Boston by scorching one over everything in left for a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh that slimmed the deficit to 7-6.

Rafaela turned on Luke Weaver’s 95.9 mph heater and belted it a Statcast-projected distance of 398 feet.

If there was a brief lull following Judge’s 36th homer, Rafaela brought the crowd right back into it.

“Ceddanne’s big swing put us in a good spot, and then it took everybody for us to pull this one off,” said Cora.

Everybody included a player like Wilyer Abreu, who had been on the bench all night until, with one out in the bottom of the eighth, Cora somewhat surprisingly asked him to hit for Tyler O’Neill, one of Boston’s most dangerous hitters. At the time, the Sox were down, 7-6.

The rookie didn’t flinch, hammering a 96.6 mph sinker by Clay Holmes for a double to tie the game.

“It means a lot to me that Alex had the confidence to give me that opportunity,” said Abreu. “Obviously we know Tyler O'Neill, how good he is. He might have felt he could have done the same thing. But in this case, Alex gave me the opportunity, and I was able to come through, and that makes me very happy.”

Why did Cora go to Abreu over O’Neill in that spot?

“I think the guy on the mound. He’s really good against righties,” said Cora. “We felt that was the right matchup. So obviously, I bet inside he’s disappointed, but he’s a team player and understands what we’re trying to accomplish here. He was on the top, first step right there cheering for his teammate, and that was awesome.”

The Red Sox still needed another big hit, and Masataka Yoshida provided it, belting an 0-2 fastball for a two-run single that gave closer Kenley Jansen some breathing room before he came on in the ninth for career save No. 440.

“We know what we can do,” said Rafaela. “This game is awesome right here. We don't put our head down. We fight until the end. I think this is what we can do.”