The Red Sox survived a brutal 16-game stretch with an 8-8 record, including a tense 10-inning loss, but the real victory? A well-earned day off to reset. Despite fatigue and injuries, they remain firmly in second place for the wild card, holding a five-and-a-half game cushion with 35 games left. First baseman Willson Contreras faced backlash for not hustling, but he’s managing a hamstring injury and has full support from management — and no regrets. The bullpen showed strain without key arms, as Jovani Morán and Greg Weissert struggled in extra innings. But there was joy too: Nick Sogard finally cracked his first career homer — a leadoff blast after 322 plate appearances — celebrated by teammate Mickey Gasper, who called it a long-overdue milestone for a hardworking player.

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