The Red Sox Tuesday, September 25, 2018

* The Boston Globe

The Red Sox win, again, and they make history in the process

Owen Pence

Mookie Betts launched his 32nd home of the season, setting a career high.

Nathan Eovaldi was masterful in a brisk environment, fanning 10 Orioles in five to match a career high.

Oh, and the Red Sox shattered the franchise record for wins, notching their 106th victory by dispensing of Baltimore, 6-2, in front of 35,619 nippy but thankful onlookers at on Monday night.

In the process, Boston secured the best record in all of , thus clinching home-field advantage throughout the postseason.

The Red Sox have been around for 118 years, their storied legacy buttressed by eight titles, but they’ve never reached heights like these.

Led by and , the Red Sox went 105-47 in 1912 en route to a World Series title.

Though Boston’s current winning percentage isn’t as lofty and its postseason fate remains a question mark, the club is cooking at the perfect stage of early autumn.

Manager only needed one adjective to describe No. 106.

“Unreal,” he said. “You think about the history of the game and the history of this franchise and to be part of this, I can’t even explain it. We should call timeout and enjoy this one.”

Betts was the offensive catalyst Monday, going 2 for 5 and mashing a hanging over the Monster in the second . Betts has homered in three consecutive games and sports a slash line against the Orioles this season of .365/.444/.730.

Boston has won 18 of its last 20 against Baltimore, 15 of 17 in 2018.

“Home-field advantage, especially with our fans, is pretty important,” said Betts. “We have a great team, man. We’re showing it and we’re enjoying playing the game together for sure.”

Injured Red Sox second baseman addressed the team afterward to commemorate setting the wins record.

The jubilant scene couldn’t have unfolded without Eovaldi’s mastery. He allowed one run and walked none, lowering his ERA to 2.17 in five outings at Fenway Park since joining the Red Sox in late July.

The righthanded flamethrower has been especially effective of late. He’s ceded just three earned runs in his last 18 innings. On Monday, he exhibited full command of an impressive arsenal. Two pitches in particular stood out.

“Had a really good feel for my and splitter today,” said Eovaldi. “With those two pitches being able to get [Baltimore] off my and cutter, I feel like it was a success tonight. It’s not too often I have all my pitches working.”

Boston hopped out to a sizable advantage in the second inning.

Steve Pearce and weaved together a pair of doubles, the former hitting a scalding line drive down the third-base line and the latter poking a high-arching fly off the . Christian Vazquez kept the train rolling with a looping single into center, scoring Holt for a 2-0 Red Sox lead.

After Jackie Bradley Jr. whiffed for the second out, Betts and Orioles starter got reacquainted.

In Betts’s fifth career at-bat against the righthander, he doubled Boston’s advantage. Bundy hung a breaking ball on the inner half and Betts pounced, sending the ball on a lofty trajectory into the Monster seats.

Betts, who was showered with M-V-P chants, has mashed during the homestretch and went 8 for 11 in Cleveland this weekend. He also notched his 29th of the season Monday, now one steal shy of joining the 30/30 (HR and SB) club.

“I still don’t think I’m really a hitter,” he said. “I try to drive the ball in the gap. It goes over sometimes.”

Boston added to its tally in the fourth against reliever Donnie Hart.

Bradley reached on an infield single. Betts laced a line drive into right. scalded a one- hopper off the glove of second baseman Steve Wilkerson for an RBI single.

J.D. Martinez followed with a walk before drove in a run of his own, sending a frozen rope out to left.

Hart benefited from a funky 1-2-5 play on a dribbler later in the inning and escaped with Baltimore trailing, 6-0.

However none of the Orioles could catch a groove quite like Eovaldi’s. He got looking in the second with a heater on the outside corner that reached 100 miles per hour on the radar gun.

Eovaldi is on the fringe of Boston’s playoff rotation and only strengthened his case Monday.

Southpaw Eduardo Rodriguez followed Eovaldi, making a rare appearance out of the — something Cora intimated would happen. Rodriguez, who allowed but a single base runner in two innings of work, is another candidate for the final spot in the rotation.

Baltimore managed a run in the fifth inning, Beckham scoring on a after back-to-back Baltimore singles with no outs. But Eovaldi quickly rammed the door shut, fanning three in a row and concluding his evening to applause.

Baltimore added one more run in the eighth as was called upon to bail out the erratic .

Boston held on, improving to an MLB-best 55-21 at home.

Eovaldi summed up Boston’s magical season.

“I’ve never been a part of this before in my life,” Eovaldi said. “We’re just doing everything right. I definitely feel like we’re the team to beat.”

Let’s pause and appreciate what we’ve seen from these magical Red Sox’

Chad Finn

How do we know this has been a true marvel of a regular season for the Red Sox? We could cite, oh, at least 106 different ways.

Here’s one:

As a team, you pull off a feat that hasn’t been achieved since two years before a kid pitcher named made his debut.

Monday night, pitched five excellent innings, Most Valuable Player-to-be mashed his 32nd homer and stole his 29th base, and the Red Sox collected their 106th victory of the season, a franchise record.

The previous record had been held by the 1912 edition of the Red Sox, who had a pitcher with 34 wins (Smoky Joe Wood), a home-run leader who all of 10 (Tris Speaker, who a batted .383), and won the World Series over the New York Giants in eight games (Game 2 ended in a 6-6 tie, while Wood outdueled legendary in a 10-inning, 3-2 win in Game 8.)

It wasn’t just early in a different century. It was a different world.

After all of these seasons and several generations later in the franchise lineage, the 1912 Red Sox have been surpassed in the standings by the ’18 Sox. There have been teams that might have had a fleeting inkling to chase the 1912 squad’s 106 wins (the ’46 Sox won 104) but not many. For all of the superb teams the Red Sox have had through the decades, none had won 100 since ’46 until this one.

It seems to me, then, that there is no better time than this immediate aftermath to acknowledge those who turned this Red Sox entry into the winningest in the storied franchise’s 118-year history.

There were two fundamental changes to this year’s Red Sox that led to the massive improvement on an excellent if ultimately unfulfilling 93-win season in 2017. Alex Cora took over for the mostly successful but increasingly uninspiring John Farrell in the dugout. And J.D. Martinez arrived via free agency to fill the aching void left in the heart of the lineup by ’s retirement following the 2016 season.

Cora has been an absolute blessing. He’s open-minded, disarmingly accountable, masterful in his second language, informed and prepared. He doesn’t just get Boston, he thrives under the intense parameters. He’s poised under pressure, but bites back if challenged. He seems to have many of the same attributes as , and Tito is the best and most well-rounded manager the Red Sox have had in my lifetime. Cora was the right hire in every conceivable way.

And yet . . . Martinez’s arrival was more important, because he’s the one who has performed at an extraordinary level on the field, and that’s the more impactful job. He is a genuine Most Valuable Player candidate, if due to Betts an unlikely winner of the award, and for a time he threatened to win the franchise’s first Crown since in his fabled 1967 season, when he damn near made the impossible a reality.

Martinez’s serious dedication to his craft also has had a palpable effect on the other extremely talented hitters in the Sox lineup. This is not a comparison we make casually, but he has been pretty close to what they had for so long in Ortiz, and everything they did not have last year.

And yet (again) . . . as outstanding as Martinez has been, he is not even the most valuable player in the Red Sox lineup. That, as you know, is the claim of Markus Lynn “Mookie” Betts, who at age 25 has surpassed pre-bitterness and pre-assorted-injuries as the most exciting young superstar of my lifetime and probably yours since I’m pretty old.

I will admit, with Betts slightly slumping by his standards for roughly a fortnight September, I was beginning to lean in Martinez’s direction in the MVP voting, especially when he briefly chased down Betts in the batting race. Then Betts went out and hit a three-run homer off Aroldis Chapman in the eighth inning Thursday night, turning an 8-6 Red Sox lead into an 11-6 advantage, putting the game on ice and pulling the champagne out of it.

That was a defining moment — though not quite on the thrill-level of his 13-pitch at-bat that culminated in a in July against Toronto — by the MVP-to-be. And it’s not like he really needed defining moments anyway, since he’s so consistently excellent. Check out his batting averages by month this year, chronologically from April: .344, .372, .290, .333, .353, .351.

It isn’t just the dueling heroics from Betts (10.2 WAR) and Martinez (6.1 WAR despite primarily DHing) that got them to 106.

Chris Sale was so exceptional through his first 22 starts (11-4, 2.04 ERA, 207 in 141 innings) that he still has a decent shot at the Award despite pitching just 12.2 innings since July 27.

Rick Porcello was a rock in the first half (11 wins, 4.13 ERA), while has been exceptional in locales other than the Bronx in the second half (5-1, 2.00 ERA in 63.3 innings).

Xander Bogaerts (21 homers, 43 doubles, .863 OPS) has had the complete season everyone was waiting for, and Andrew Benintendi excelled in the No. 2 spot (.829 OPS).

Those are just the marquee names. , Jackie Bradley Jr., and even Sandy Leon have had their moments. So have many others, including in-season newcomers Eovaldi, , and . These Sox may not have the outward unity of Ortiz and the admirable city-rallying ’13 champs, but make no mistake, this is a team.

Yes, they have serious stuff to sort out. The entire bullpen, for perhaps , has been an annoying collective tribute to Wes Gardner lately, and that’s not what you’re looking for heading into the playoffs. The Red Sox have a jarringly few number of players who can claim postseason success, though it feels like only a matter of time for Betts. There’s a gauntlet ahead against some superb teams, most notably the defending champion Astros, who are eager to make the Red Sox’ record-setting regular season a mostly inconsequential prologue to more postseason disappointment.

It is absolutely true that the salutes and savoring of what they’ve achieved from April through September ends abruptly when the October postseason begins. Winning three playoff games is the first assignment, and then seven, and then if they get to 11, well, that gets ’em a free ride on the duck boats.

But right now? Damn straight the Red Sox should savor it. One-hundred-and-six wins, something the franchise has never done before? That’s worth a moment of appreciation, even with bigger goals ahead. And remember: It’s 106 . . . and they’re still counting.

‘We should call time out and enjoy this one,’ Alex Cora says after Red Sox’ record feat

Nick Cafardo

They have downplayed it since the moment it was brought up, but there’s nothing to downplay now. The 2018 Red Sox have won the most games in franchise history.

“It’s unreal,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said after a 6-2 victory over the Orioles at Fenway Park Monday night. “You think about the history of the game and the history of this franchise and to be a part of this . . . I can’t even explain it.

“We should call time out and enjoy this one. We know what we have to do in October, but to do this at this level, in this division. The Yankees are pretty good. Tampa is probably going to win 90 games. So for us to do it is amazing.

“It’s a testament to the whole organization. The coaching staff has done a great job connecting with players,” Cora said. “When I flew to meet with the coaches this winter and explained what I had in mind, I don’t think we expected this . . . We saw it in when we had the best record in spring training and I know people kind of made fun of me for that, but it’s not like I saw 106, but I saw a team that was very competitive and they showed up every day.”

Cora said he addressed the team after the game. He also said injured leader Dustin Pedroia, the player who has been with the Red Sox the longest and has won championships, spoke to the team.

Maybe the Red Sox didn’t aspire to this record. Maybe they had their vision on other things. But if they don’t appreciate it now, they will appreciate it when their careers are over and they realize, “We won that many games?”

Of course it means more if they win the World Series. Then they can add those 11 wins to the final total.

Tony La Russa, the Sox’ vice president of baseball operations, won a lot of games but did not win the ultimate prize when his Cardinals (of 105 wins) were swept by the Red Sox in 2004. Yet, he beat ’s in the when his team won 83 regular-season games. It just goes to show that you can’t predict the postseason.

In fact, Oakland’s Money Ball inventor, Billy Beane, always had the attitude that you have no control what happens in the postseason and he’s right.

Success is often luck. Success is often having a certain mojo at the right time. It can be a hot such as in 2014 for the Giants. You just can’t predict it.

But one thing is for sure — when you win 106 games, it’s more than luck. It’s dominance. You could argue this Red Sox team benefited by the disparity of the haves and have-nots in baseball, which has reached a new high (or low). And it has nothing to do with money. The Oakland A’s and are proof of that. The two lowest teams in terms of payroll are surprising all of baseball. The A’s will make the playoffs but the Rays ran out of time, eliminated in a 4-1 loss to the Yankees on Monday night.

Nevertheless, the Red Sox played the 2018 schedule better than anyone in baseball.

There were many lousy teams and the Red Sox beat them up. They held their own against good teams and now will have to prove they can beat the best teams when it counts the most.

“We had a lot of talent,” said Cora. “The players did it. They went out there every day and refused to be beaten. Even on days when things looked like they were going to be tough, these guys did their best and knew how to win.

“People say we played the game the right way and we did,” he added. “We had our tough moments out there but for the most part we did the little things and the big things to win games. When we couldn’t hit the home runs, we won in other ways and that’s what good teams do.

“You don’t have to win the same way to be successful. The more you can show that you win a game in different ways — maybe a well-pitched game, or a big offensive outburst, or a close game or an extra- inning game or a game when you have to use a lot of pitchers because your starter didn’t have it that day. We won those games.”

Cora and the players have tried to downplay the milestones. They celebrated when they won the division, but the next time they celebrate likely will be if they win the Championship Series. The next time after that will be the World Series, and then they would love to be part of a duck boat parade.

“Your name is part of something that’s special, especially with this organization,” said Mookie Betts, who solidifed his MVP bid by going 2 for 5 with a two-run homer in the second inning for his career-high 32d of the season.

“Pedey told us to enjoy this because we have a special group of guys,” Betts said. “We all wish he could have been a part of it. But he’s with us. We can ask him things and he’s been great in all of the support he’s provided us since he’s been back. It’s great to have him around.”

The Red Sox are just the 11th American League team to reach 106 wins.

On top of all that, they have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Cora pointed out that’s meaningful because “to be able to play that one more game, the last game here is very important.”

The Red Sox improved to a major league-best 55-21 at home. That’s why it’s important.

Maybe it wasn’t a night for an all-out celebration, but as Cora said, they took a moment to understand what they had done. And what they had done was pretty amazing.

Alex Cora saddled with second (base) thoughts

Owen Pence

For teams that have already clinched a playoff berth, the final week of the regular season provides time for roster issues to be hashed out, slumps to be quashed, and rotations to be set in order.

One such issue Red Sox manager Alex Cora must maneuver before Boston opens its postseason journey at Fenway Park on Oct. 5 is establishing consistency at second base.

Boston’s hierarchy at the position has become a bit hazy in the past few weeks. Ian Kinsler is enduring his first extended rough patch with the Red Sox and Eduardo Nunez is sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Brock Holt started Monday and went 1 for 3 with a double in the 6-2 win over the Orioles. He has plugged the gap admirably, but he’s a utilityman, not the primary postseason option.

Veteran Brandon Phillips is in the dugout, too.

Kinsler hasn’t appeared the same since returning from the disabled list with a left hamstring strain Aug. 17. He’s hitting just .185 in September with a putrid .206 on-base percentage.

Cora believes it’s a submissive mind-set that has sapped the power from Kinsler’s bat.

“One thing’s for sure: I would love for him to be a little more aggressive early in counts,” said Cora. “He’s been a leadoff guy and probably he feels that he should work the count, but he can catch up with the fastball. His swing is still there, but with two strikes it’s not that easy. I’ll talk to him a little bit about it.”

Boston acquired Kinsler at the trade deadline, the 36-year old four-time All-Star fresh off back-to-back months in which he recorded double-digit RBI totals. He belted eight home runs in June alone.

Kinsler hasn’t driven the ball as effectively in Boston. He went just 1 for 19 on the Red Sox’ recent road trip.

Right fielder Mookie Betts made sure Kinsler was apprised of the team psyche when the former leadoff hitter expressed a desire to amid his rough patch.

“He mentioned something about bunting a few weeks ago,” recalled Cora. “He tried to bunt and Mookie told him, ‘We don’t do that here.’ I do feel like he’s getting some pitches he can drive early in the count, but he’s not attacking.”

Kinsler was given a day off Monday with Orioles righthander Dylan Bundy starting.

Nunez hasn’t played since Wednesday while nursing his hamstring. Cora reported Nunez felt good running Sunday and would shoot for Wednesday or Friday as a return date.

In the interim, Cora remains comfortable with Holt’s production.

“The way that Brock is swinging the bat, he’s somebody we count on,” said Cora.

Postseason plans Every pitcher approaches the lead up to the postseason differently. Last year as a bench coach in Houston, Cora observed his two aces occupy divergent paths in their preparation process.

Justin Verlander expressed a desire to fire 120 pitches in his final playoff tuneup. was indifferent, settling for a simulated game, which he threw in Boston. The Astros ended up defeating the Red Sox in the ALDS.

Cora will delegate each pitcher’s workload on a case-by-case basis this week. David Price and will close out the Baltimore series Tuesday and Wednesday. will pitch Friday against New York. The weekend remains to be determined.

“We’ve done a good job the last few weeks slowing them down, keeping them at five innings or X amount of pitches,” said Cora. “Whatever they feel they need in their last start, [they’ll get].”

Praise for LeVangie Boston’s pitching staff owns the fifth-best ERA in baseball. Some of that success can be accredited to pitching coach Dana LeVangie, upon whom Cora mounted heaps of praise.

“He’s been great,” said Cora. “He’s been in the organization for a long, long time in different roles and one thing is for sure: he connects with players. His understanding of the game is way up there.

“On a nightly basis, I feel it really doesn’t matter who’s on the mound — we’re going to attack guys the right way and they’re going to give us a chance to win ballgames.”

Bogaerts in play Shortstop Xander Bogaerts was back in the lineup after exiting early Sunday evening with discomfort in his left shoulder. Bogaerts went 2 for 4, and drove in his career-best 96th run of the season. After Sunday’s game, Bogaerts acknowledged how one-sided the conversation between he and Cora had been when the skipper pulled him from action. Said Cora, “I’m good with him, but sometimes I’ll be tough.” . . . Boston appeared weary-eyed prior to Monday’s game after suffering through a late night of travel. Cora said he didn’t use pinch-hitters in the Red Sox’ 4-3 loss to Cleveland in 11 innings on Sunday night, hoping to expedite the team’s flight plans . . . Price is 5-1 with a 2.00 ERA in 10 starts since the All-Star break and owns a 2.67 career ERA against Baltimore.

* The Providence Journal

Red Sox 6, Orioles 2: Boston sets new franchise mark for regular season wins

Bill Koch

BOSTON --- The best team in baseball to date in 2018 now doubles as the best regular season team in Red Sox history.

It seemed a foregone conclusion Boston would eventually eclipse its winners during this final homestand, and the Red Sox wasted no time while tending to business on the first night.

Victory No. 106 was secured Monday thanks to more brilliance from Mookie Betts and a dominant combined outing from Nathan Eovaldi and Eduardo Rodriguez. Boston skunked the woeful Orioles, 6-2, in front of 35,619 chilled fans at Fenway Park.

Betts drove a two-run homer over the Green Monster to highlight a four-run second inning, and that was all the separation the Red Sox required to send Baltimore to its 111th defeat this season. Boston clinched home field advantage throughout the playoffs, finally eliminating Houston, and now stands alone in the franchise record books after Tris Speaker and Smoky Joe Wood reigned for more than a century.

“It’s unreal,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “You think about the history of the game and the history of this franchise. To be part of this, I can’t even explain it. Obviously it’s something where we should call timeout and enjoy this one.”

The Red Sox struck in a flash to build their 4-0 lead, stringing together four hits over the course of five plate appearances during one stretch in the second. Steve Pearce and Brock Holt sent back-to-back doubles to left to make it 1-0, Christian Vazquez lined an RBI single to left center to double the lead and Betts smacked a towering fly down the line in left for a two-run homer that doubled it again. Dylan Bundy went from safe to besieged in the span of 15 pitches, eventually doomed to his 16th defeat of the season.

“It means you’re a part of something special, especially in this organization that’s been around so long,” Betts said. “It’s just a blessing to be a part of something like this.”

Betts was at it again in the fourth, following a single by Jackie Bradley Jr. with one of his own to put men at the corners with nobody out. Andrew Benintendi’s rocket to second ate up Steve Wilkerson and went for an RBI infield single, making it 5-0. Xander Bogaerts followed one batter later with a lined single to left center, chasing home Betts to make it 6-0.

Eovaldi put his dominant array of raw stuff on display through his five innings, matching his career high with 10 strikeouts. It’s just the second time in 155 career appearances Eovaldi has reached double digits, with the first coming as a member of the Marlins against the Mets in May 2014. Eovaldi didn’t issue a walk and was nicked for just a lone run in the fifth before leaving after 84 pitches.

“He pitched great,” Betts said. “He kept them off the board, and when they did score it was just that one. Any time a guy gives us that we should be able to win that game.”

Eovaldi recorded at least one on each of his five primary pitches, including three apiece on the fastball and cut-fastball and a pair on the split-fingered fastball. He got Jonathan Villar to swing and miss on a curveball in the first and fanned a swinging Caleb Joseph on a slider in the fifth to give himself something of a complete boxed set. Tim Beckham scored on a wild pitch to provide Eovaldi’s lone blemish.

“These last two outings I’ve felt really good, and tonight especially – I had all of my pitches working,” Eovaldi said. “It’s not too often that I have all of my pitches working. I feel like that was the reason for my success tonight.”

Rodriguez started the sixth in a planned relief appearance, just the second of his career. He retired all but one of the seven men he faced, as Renato Nunez lined a two-out single to right in the seventh. Eovaldi and Rodriguez have now both proven capable of coming out of the bullpen for multiple innings should they be called upon in October.

The result also clinched a place in the baseball record books for Cora, who now sits second alone in wins by a manager during his rookie campaign. Cora snapped a tie with , who was at the helm of Boston’s 1912 team. Cora has only Ralph Houk in front of him, as his Yankees captured 109 games and the World Series in 1961.

“We never talked about records or stuff like that,” Cora said. “You just talk to them before the season and tell them to show up every day and play the game the right way. They’ve done it for a while. They’re very consistent at what they do and we’re very proud of them.”

Playing time is a puzzle for Alex Cora

Bill Koch

BOSTON — Monday’s matchup with the Orioles served a dual purpose for the Red Sox.

It’s the final leg of the regular season for Boston, a six-game homestand at Fenway Park that’s largely free of consequence for the hosts. The Red Sox will be here for at least the next two weeks, hosting the opening two games of the American League Division Series against the Yankees or Athletics. Boston’s magic number to clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs was just one, and it stands to reason the Red Sox will win once or Houston will lose once over the final week.

These last six games against Baltimore and New York also find Boston manager Alex Cora searching for balance. How many at-bats will his regulars require? How many pitches should his starters throw? Who could use innings in the field more than the next man? These are the questions Cora will contemplate through Sunday’s finale with the Yankees.

“There are a few guys, they’re working on a few things and getting back in a groove offensively,” Cora said. “We know we’ve got a few days off between the last game of the season and the first game of the playoffs. It will be good to get back to normal, which is hard.”

Several late nights of travel and one evening of revelry highlighted the final road trip of the season. The Red Sox clinched a third straight A.L. East title in the Bronx on Thursday, notched their lone win in a series at Cleveland the following night and slogged through a pair of 11-inning defeats on Saturday and Sunday. Another pre-dawn arrival Monday morning was less than ideal, and Cora excused his players from their usual pregame routines before opening the series with Baltimore.

“This time of year we can actually work on things,” said Steve Pearce, who started at first base on Monday. “You can get guys at-bats who need at-bats. Guys who are nursing injuries have a chance to get healthy.

“Especially with what we’ve accomplished all year — first place, best record, home-field advantage — now it’s time where we can actually prepare for what we’re about to do.”

Pearce is one of several Boston players whose time on the field in the playoffs is likely contingent on the opponent. He wears out left-handed New York starters J.A. Happ and C.C. Sabathia to the tune of 21-for- 64 with seven home runs, five doubles and six walks. Sean Manaea’s left shoulder surgery deprives Oakland of its ace and likely leaves Mitch Moreland to face right-handers Mike Fiers, and Edwin Jackson.

This isn’t something you would hear Pearce or his teammates discuss during clubhouse media availability. It also might not be a topic they’ve broached behind the scenes, either. Cora said he’s heard very little in terms of roster or lineup projections from his club to date.

“We’re probably more familiar with the Yankees,” Pearce said. “Oakland is a hot team right now. They’re both really good teams. They’re fighting for their home-field advantage for that one-game wildcard. We get to sit back and we like to have a tactical advantage going into whatever series it is.”

“I know they’re very excited,” Cora said. “They know what’s going on. They’re just excited that they’re going to play Oct. 5.

“As a player I never went through that. Kind of like, ‘We want to play this team.’ As far as logistics for the family, it would be good for that to play on the East Coast.”

That doesn’t mean Cora is about to do the Yankees any favors. He’d like nothing better than to see the Athletics host the wildcard game. Regardless of the outcome, the winner would be facing a cross-country flight and quick turnaround against a Red Sox team that will be rested and ready to greet them.

“It’s not an easy flight,” Cora said. “We’ll see where we’re at. Our guys need at-bats anyway, so most likely most of them are going to play two out of three. I feel comfortable with whoever is playing on our team.”

Red Sox Journal: Bogaerts cleared to play after tweaking shoulder

Bill Koch

BOSTON — Xander Bogaerts heard a different answer from Alex Cora on Monday morning.

The Red Sox shortstop left Sunday night’s game at Cleveland in the seventh inning with left shoulder soreness. Bogaerts swung awkwardly at an inside fastball from Dan Otero, flexing and stretching his arm after feeling what he said was a pinching sensation. Bogaerts fouled off the next two pitches from Otero before the manager headed for the batter’s box, pulling Bogaerts with the count at 1-and-2.

“In the heat of the moment it was really hard for me to go by his word and come out of the game,” Bogaerts said Sunday. “I have so much respect for him. He said it, I tried to convince him and he said no in a way that I could not come back with an answer. I had to let it go.”

Postgame strength and mobility testing completed by Bogaerts had the manager convinced there were no major concerns. Cora called Bogaerts on Monday morning and informed him that he would be back in the lineup for the opener of a three-game series with the Orioles just a few hours later.

“I called him this morning and said, ‘You’re playing,’” Cora said. “He said, ‘Thank you.’ He’s fine.”

Bogaerts entered Monday sitting five RBI short of 100, a milestone Cora said he would like to see his shortstop reach for the first time in his career. But Cora stopped well short of risking Bogaerts in any way against the Indians, as the upcoming postseason is the far greater focus for Boston at this point.

“That conversation was a one-sided conversation yesterday,” Cora said. “I saw it. It really didn’t matter. He could have said, ‘I’m fine.’ No – he was coming out of the game.”

It’s their call

David Price and Chris Sale are expected to start the next two games against the Orioles, and Rick Porcello will take the ball on Friday against the Yankees.

Cora has yet to commit to a starter for the final two games against New York. There exists a real possibility that the Red Sox could face New York the following weekend in the American League Division Series, and Cora could be wary of giving the Yankees a look at one of his potential starters so close to an actual postseason game.

“Somebody has to pitch,” Cora said. “They’ve got to stay in their routines. They’ve got to get their repetitions. It’s better to get your repetitions competing than in a controlled environment.”

Sale’s final start should see the left-hander stretched past the 73 pitches he threw on Friday against the Indians. Cora is leaving it up to Price and Porcello in terms of how many pitches they would like to throw down the stretch, calling to mind the difference between Houston starters and Dallas Keuchel last season.

“With Verlander, he wanted 120 in his last one,” said Cora, who served as the Astros’ bench coach last season. “With Keuchel, he just wanted to whatever — it didn’t matter. I think he threw a simulated game here actually. They’re different guys.”

Around the horn

Rafael Devers remained at third base Monday night. Eduardo Nunez (left hamstring) ran on the field prior to batting practice as he continues to work his way back from a minor tweak he suffered Wednesday in New York. “As far as repetitions, it really doesn’t matter for me,” Cora said. “But obviously we would like him to play this week.” ... Brock Holt started at second base with Ian Kinsler mired in an 0-for-17 drought. Kinsler has been held without an extra-base hit over his last 14 games, mustering nine singles since Sept. 3. “It looks like he’s behind in the count a lot,” Cora said. “His swing is still there, but with two strikes it’s not that easy. I’ll talk to him a little bit about it.” ... Mookie Betts recorded his 17th career game with three extra-base hits or more on Sunday night. That’s the most such games by any Major League player before his 26th birthday since 1900. The rest of the top five includes (14), Lou Gehrig (14), (13) and (13).

Wins in October are what count

Kevin McNamara

All hail the , winners of 106 games and counting!

With Monday’s win these Sox have bested the victory totals of the other three teams in franchise history that topped the century mark.

The 2018 crew has now eclipsed teams led by the likes of Tris Speaker and “Smoky Joe” Wood (105 wins in 1912), and Boo Ferris (104 in 1946) and Duffy Lewis and (gulp) Babe Ruth (101 in 1915). Now we celebrate Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez, Chris Sale and David Price.

Or do we?

What does winning more regular-season games than any other Red Sox team in history truly get you? A bull’s-eye on your back come playoff time, for one.

That seems to be the overwhelming thought surrounding the Sox with a playoff date in October on the horizon. Ever since the team shot out of Fort Myers and began piling up wins in the cold, raw days of April, the specter of a 100-win season seemed possible. There were even dreams of eclipsing the all-time regular season win record of 116 set by the in 2001.

But any mention of those Mariners should give fans reason to pause. Neither of the two teams with the highest win totals in MLB history — the ’01 Mariners and 1906 Cubs — won the World Series. That’s a fate no team wants to be saddled with.

“I tell you what, when you get to the postseason, there’s a whole lotta pressure,” former Yankee manager Joe Torre told Newsday this summer. “Seattle won 116 games, but you have to remind people they did. They won their division but they didn’t beat us.”

There’s the rub with any historic regular season. It’s great to win 106 games but a division series loss to the Yankees or the Oakland A’s would be tough to swallow. So would really anything short of at least a spot in the World Series for the Red Sox.

According to ESPN, 97 teams have won 100 or more games in the World Series era (since 1903), excluding 1904 when the Series wasn’t played. Just 36 of those teams (37 percent) went on to win the World Series.

The 1912 Red Sox won the World Series, as Smoky Joe outdueled New York Giants ace Christy Mathewson in the decisive game. But the 1946 Sox famously lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 7 when Enos Slaughter raced around from first base for the winning run after held a relay throw a few seconds too long.

What fate lies ahead for the 2018 Red Sox?

The events of this season send a conflicting, confusing message.

Maybe it’s best to trace how Alex Cora’s debut season unfolded so spectacularly.

A blazing opening few weeks jump-started everyone’s hopes. Any team that wins 17 of its first 19 builds oodles of confidence.

A superb middle-of-the season stretch from Betts and Martinez, two of the leading candidates for the American League MVP award, further buoyed the Sox.

A four-game Fenway sweep of the Yankees in the first week of August boosted Boston’s A.L. East lead to a commanding 9.5 games. The race never grew than six games the rest of the way.

Maybe the biggest factor in all this winning was a really, really bad American League. Like historically bad. The Orioles (45-111) and Royals (54-102) sailed past 100 losses. The White Sox and Tigers were awful as well.

It’s probably likely that the hard-luck baseball fans of Seattle still find room in their hearts to celebrate their record-setting 2001 team. That’s the fate of a franchise that’s never even been to a World Series.

There is no such luck ahead for these Red Sox. This regular season is special and will always be remembered in the record books no matter what unfolds in October. But without a World Series, or at least a spot in the Fall Classic, all those memories will quickly be erased from the minds of Sox fans.

The players seem to know the deal here. After three World Championships in the last 14 seasons and a massive, $220-million payroll, the Red Sox were built with a championship-or-bust mentality. Or as Betts said amid the celebration in the clubhouse at Thursday night, “We haven’t won anything yet. Well, we haven’t won what we want to win yet.”

So can Cora juggle his leaky bullpen and win 11 games with postseason pressure? Is Sale healthy enough to be a playoff ace? Will Betts and Martinez catch fire together again? Is Price going to implode at the worst time?

Those are questions built for October. For now, savor the greatest regular season in Red Sox history.

* MassLive.com

Boston Red Sox set franchise record for wins (106) as Mookie Betts belts 32nd homer, Nathan Eovaldi K's 10

Christopher Smith

BOSTON -- The 2018 Red Sox have won more games than any other team in this franchise's 118-year history.

Boston beat the Orioles 6-2 here at Fenway Park on Monday for win No. 106 of the 2018 season.

The 1912 team went 105-47. It played fewer games (152-game schedule) and so it still owns the best winning percentage (.691) of any team in Red Sox history.

The 2018 Red Sox (106-51 record, .675 winning percentage) have five games remaining. They're on pace for 109.3 wins.

Boston also clinched home-field advantage throughout the postseason with Monday's victory.

Winningest Red Sox teams:

*2018 Red Sox 106-51 (.675 winning percentage)* 1912 Red Sox 105-47 (.691 winning percentage) 1946 Red Sox 104-50 (.675 winning percentage) 1915 Red Sox 101-50 (.669 winning percentage) 1978 Red Sox 99-64 (.607 winning percentage) 2004 Red Sox 98-64 (.605 winning percentage)

The Red Sox took a 4-0 lead in the second inning. Brock Holt stroked an RBI double. Christian Vazquez ripped an RBI single.

Mookie Betts then belted his 32nd homer. His two-run shot to left field went 99.4 mph and 351 feet.

Andrew Benintendi and Xander Bogaerts stroked RBI singles in the fourth to put Boston ahead 6-0.

Eovaldi strikes out 10

Nathan Eovaldi allowed only one run, four hits and no walks in 5 innings. He struck out 10.

Eovaldi threw 34 four-seam , averaging 97.9 mph and topping out at 100.3 mph.

Boston Red Sox clinch home field advantage throughout MLB postseason; 'It's not a comfortable place to come and play'

Christopher Smith

BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox not only set the Red Sox franchise record for wins in a season with their 106th victory Monday.

They also clinched home field advantage throughout the postseason with a 6-2 win over the Orioles here at Fenway Park.

Boston already had clinched home field advantage in the ALDS and World Series. The Sox entered Monday needing to one more win (or a loss) for home field in the ALCS.

The Red Sox open the postseason with Game 1 of their ALDS series (vs. either the Yankees or Athletics) Oct. 5.

"I know how it gets here in the playoffs," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "I know how tough it is to come here. It's not a comfortable place to come and play. It doesn't guarantee you that you're going to win the World Series. But having the last games of series is very important. I saw it last year first hand how loud it can get here. I played here, too, in '07 and the playoffs in '08. It's a special place. But it's also a tough place for the visitors to come here."

Mookie Betts added, "Home field advantage, especially with our fans is pretty important. But we just have a great team, man."

Dustin Pedroia addresses Red Sox teammates after they earned franchise season record 106th win

Christopher Smith

BOSTON -- Dustin Pedroia addressed Red Sox players and coaches after they set a new franchise record for wins in a season with 106 victories.

Boston beat the Orioles 6-2 here at Fenway Park on Monday for win No. 106.

The 2018 Red Sox (106-51) overtook the 1912 team (105-47) for most wins in the franchise's 118-year history.

"He's been here the longest, so he talked to the team," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said about Pedroia. "And I did, too. But it felt appropriate that he was the one that addressed them. He's been here since 2006, won a few championships. And it's a shame he could only play a few games. But I think it was appropriate for him to address them."

Pedroia appeared in only three games this season after he underwent a left knee cartilage restoration procedure last offseason (Oct. 25, 2017). He spent from July 13 to Sept. 5 in Arizona rehabbing his knee.

But Pedroia told MassLive.com this past weekend, "I haven't missed a pitch."

Pedroia, who won World Series titles with Boston in 2007 and '13, returned to the club earlier this month so he could be here for his teammates to help out in the postseason with any advice or help.

"He just said we had a special group and he's enjoyed being around when he's been here," Mookie Betts recalled about Pedroia's message. "He kind of keeps us all levelheaded and lets us know what we did wrong or what you did right so we can work on all those types of things. He's a veteran guys that's been around and done everything we're trying to do."

The 1912 Red Sox played fewer games (152-game schedule) and so they still own the best winning percentage (.691) of any team in Red Sox history.

The 2018 Red Sox have a .675 winning percentage. If they win their remaining five regular season games, they'd finish with a .685 winning percentage.

"It's unreal," Cora said. "You think about the history of the game and the history of this franchise. And to be part of this, I can't even explain it. Obviously it's something we should call timeout and enjoy this one. Because we know what we have to do in October. But to be able to do this at this level, in this division."

The AL East is a difficult division this year. The Yankees own the third best record in the majors at 96-60. The Rays (87-69) are closing in on 90 wins.

*2018 Red Sox 106-51 (.675 winning percentage)* 1912 Red Sox 105-47 (.691 winning percentage) 1946 Red Sox 104-50 (.675 winning percentage) 1915 Red Sox 101-50 (.669 winning percentage) 1978 Red Sox 99-64 (.607 winning percentage) 2004 Red Sox 98-64 (.605 winning percentage)

"We saw it in spring training," Cora said. "I know people made fun of me when I said we had the best record in spring training. But we finished strong.

Cora's players went 22-9 in Grapefruit League play.

"And it's not that I saw we were going to win 106 or whatever we're going to end up winning," Cora said. "But I saw a good team that was going to be very competitive. And they show up every day."

Betts added, "You're kind of going down in history. Your name is part of something special, especially in this organization that has been around so long. It's just a blessing to be a part of something like this."

Christian Vazquez: 'I don't care if I'm not starting (in postseason). I want to win. That's all'

Christopher Smith

BOSTON -- Red Sox catchers Christian Vazquez, Sandy Leon and all are expected to make the ALDS roster. But how manager Alex Cora will divvy up their starts/playing time is unknown.

Vazquez, who signed a three-year, $13.55-million contract extension during spring training, isn't concerned with the title of starting catcher this postseason. The Red Sox open the ALDS on Friday, Oct. 5.

"I don't care," Vazquez said. "When they put me there, I'll be there for the team and help. If they need me, I'll be there. I don't care if I'm not starting. I want to win. That's all. I need that ring on my finger."

The three catchers aren't competing for the starting job during the final week of September, Vazquez said. They simply are focused on winning in the postseason.

"I think overall we have the best three catchers in the league," Vazquez said. "I don't care if we're hitting .220, .210, .180. But behind the plate we're badass. (Expletive) ya. I feel like that."

Vazquez, who returned from the disabled list (right pinkie finger fracture) Sept. 1, has started the most games (10) of the three Red Sox catchers during September. Leon has started eight games and Swihart has started three.

On whether Swihart has a chance to start games behind the plate during the postseason, Cora recently said, "I don't know. We'll see."

Swihart caught Rick Porcello on Saturday, marking the first time this season anyone besides Leon has paired with Porcello. Swihart also might catch David Price for the first time Tuesday.

Vazquez spent from July 8 to Sept. 1 on the disabled list. Swihart played well both defensively and offensively as the No. 2 catcher behind Leon in Vazquez's absence. There was no guarantee of how much playing time Vazquez would receive in September.

Cora was asked Aug. 28 if Vazquez would return to his pre-DL role.

"I don't know. Honestly, I'm very comfortable with the way Sandy's playing and the way Blake is playing," Cora said back then. "It's always tough to play three catchers in a weekly basis at the big league level. But at the same time, we know the impact that he can have. So we'll play it day-by-day honestly when he comes back. And I'll sit down with the three of them.

Cora could have stayed with what worked (the Leon-Swihart duo) for more than two months. But Vazquez has played consistently since the Sox activated him. He also expected to return to this role.

"Yeah, I think that's my job," Vazquez said. "Be there and get back to where I was before."

Vazquez still has struggled offensively since his return (.216/.293/.243/.536 slash line, 41 plate appearances).

But he has had some better at-bats this month. He ripped an RBI single Monday to put Boston ahead 2-0 during the second inning. The Red Sox won 6-2 over the Orioles here at Fenway Park for their franchise- record 106th victory.

"I feel better and I'm seeing the ball better," Vazquez said. "That's all. This game is hard, man. You have ups and downs. Get back to simple stuff and be simple at home plate. See the ball and hit it."

Leon is only 1-for-27 (.037) in September. He slashing .093/.171/.159/.330 during the second half.

Swihart received limited playing time the first three months. He didn't make his first start at catcher until June 7. But he's slashing .286/.340/.418/.758 in 106 plate appearances since July 1.

He has the most offensive upside of all three catchers.

"He's got a rocket arm," Vazquez added about Swihart. "Strong arm. He can throw."

Vazquez is happy to see Swihart play well.

"He got hurt with the ankle," Vazquez said. "But now he's seeing more playing (time). And if you play more, you're going to get better every day. So that's the reason. He's catching better than before because he's seeing more playing (time) behind the plate. I'm happy for him, man. He's a great kid. A great teammate. Sandy, too. We're together like a family here. And we don't care about if we're not playing. The goal is win the World Series here together."

No competition. Just winning together.

"Hell ya. We're tight, man," Vazquez said. "We're in a good place. And now counts. Now is time to go to the playoffs and we're going to be together, all three together and be there for everybody."

* The Portland Press Herald

Sox roster has questions, but also depth

Tom Caron

Major League Baseball’s postseason begins in a week. The Boston Red Sox won’t play their first playoff game until Friday, Oct. 5, when they host Game 1 of the American League Division Series against either New York or Oakland at Fenway Park.

Boston Manager Alex Cora has some decisions to make. While the Red Sox have won as many games as any in the franchise’s history, there is plenty of uncertainty surrounding the team. There are questions surrounding the bullpen, the rotation and the bench.

Over the weekend, Cora said there won’t be much auditioning going on over these final days of the season. He said the team already knows what its players can do and that he won’t be making snap decisions based on late-season performance. That came as a surprise to most of us in the media.

“It’s wide open for you guys,” Cora told reporters on Friday. “I have a pretty good idea where we’re going.”

For now, we’ll have to guess. So I’ll do exactly that. Here are the 25 men who would make my roster for a best-of-five ALDS, with a few notes along the way:

STARTING PITCHERS

Chris Sale, David Price, Rick Porcello and Nathan Eovaldi.

Sale and Price are no-brainers. Sale would start Game 1 and, potentially, Game 5. Price would also be available out of the bullpen for Game 5 on full rest. Porcello struggled down the stretch but you need to have right-handed starters for Games 3 and 4 if they are at Yankee Stadium. That’s why I have Eovaldi pitching Game 4. If Oakland should beat New York you might want to go with Eduardo Rodriguez as the fourth starter.

RELIEF PITCHERS

Craig Kimbrel, , Ryan Brasier, Eduardo Rodriguez, Steven Wright, and Joe Kelly.

Heath Hembree, Bobby Poyner and Hector Velazquez were all left off my list. And all three have been extremely important pitchers during this historic season. Kelly deserves a spot in the bullpen if Cora is sincere in his philosophy that the bullpen will be chosen based on its full season of work. He didn’t hurt himself any Saturday night in Cleveland when he came on in the 10th inning with two on and nobody out. Two strikeouts and a groundout later he was finished with a scoreless inning and renewed hopes that he can harness his velocity and secondary pitches to succeed in high-leverage situations.

Poyner didn’t make my list because in this scenario Rodriguez is in the bullpen. If Cora opted to use E-Rod as a starter, with Eovaldi in the bullpen, I may have to get Poyner in there as a lefty-on-lefty specialist. That would bump either Kelly or Workman out of the mix.

One final note – in a seven-game series the Sox would probably add a reliever. So if Boston advances beyond the first round, one of the pitchers on the bubble would make it into the second round, with a position player (one of the catchers?) coming out.

OUTFIELDERS/DH

Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi, Jackie Bradley, Jr. and J.D. Martinez.

INFIELDERS

Mitch Moreland, Ian Kinsler, Xander Bogaerts and Brock Holt.

Brock Holt has been one of Boston’s hottest hitters in September and should be in the lineup. With Eduardo Nunez battling an injury and Rafael Devers a defensive liability, third base would be the perfect place for Holt to play.

CATCHERS

Sandy Leon, Christian Vazquez, and Blake Swihart.

Cora has made it clear he’s keeping three catchers. Swihart caught Rick Porcello on Saturday night for the first time all season. That could be an indication that he will get a chance to get some catching duties come October.

RESERVES

Eduardo Nunez, Steve Pearce, and Rafael Devers.

Pearce will be starting at first against lefties. Nunez might start at third if healthy, or come in as a defensive replacement for Devers if he gets the start. The 21-year old homered in back-to-back games over the weekend, and might get into the starting lineup on the strength of his bat.

In the end, the Red Sox have several areas of uncertainty, which is not what you expect from a team with more than 100 wins. They’ve also got depth and multiple options to fill those questions. And that is exactly what you’d expect from a good team.

* RedSox.com

Sox win record 106th, clinch Majors' best mark

Ian Browne

BOSTON -- Dustin Pedroia played in just three games this season before his problematic left knee confined him to the dugout.

But Pedroia is by some distance the longest-tenured Red Sox player, the only member of the club with more than one to his name -- and it was Pedroia who commanded the attention of the home clubhouse at Fenway Park late Monday night after an historic 6-2 win over the Orioles.

Pedroia didn't speak all that long. Nor did first-year manager Alex Cora, who played alongside Cora when the veteran second baseman was just breaking into the Major Leagues. But their message was about the same: This is a special Red Sox team.

"We should call timeout and enjoy this one," Cora said when he met with the media a few minutes later. "We know what we have to do in October, but to be able to do this, at this level, in this division, it is amazing."

Indeed, in the 118-year history of the Red Sox, no team had won 106 games in a season until Mookie Betts powered the champs over the O's. The win moved this Red Sox team past its 105- win 1912 counterparts of , Duffy Lewis and Tris Speaker -- and even further past the 104 games the Williams-led 1946 team won. Not since the 2001 Seattle Mariners had any team in won more than 105 games in a season. Until this bunch.

Even more important, Monday's win secured for Boston the best record in Major League Baseball this season, ensuring home-field advantage through each round of the playoffs. Of the six previous seasons the Red Sox had at least a share of the best record in baseball, they won the World Series five times.

"We have a great team, man," MVP candidate Betts said. "We're showing it."

Betts hit his career-best 32nd home run -- his third straight game with a homer -- and stole his 29th base. Steve Pearce and Brock Holt each doubled and scored as part of a four-run second inning capped by Betts' fireworks.

Nathan Eovaldi made a strong case for inclusion in Boston's playoff rotation, albeit against opposing hitters who weren't quite playoff caliber. The midseason acquisition struck out 10 and didn't issue a walk in five overpowering innings; the only run the Orioles scored came on a wild pitch in the fifth.

"I really had everything working today," said Eovaldi, whom the Red Sox acquired from Tampa Bay in late July. "I was able to locate the fastball up. I had a really good feel for my curveball, my split today. So with those two pitches, I was able to get them off my fastball and the cutter."

Eduardo Rodriguez came on in relief of Eovaldi and retired six of the seven hitters he faced, striking out two. If he's not part of the starting rotation, Rodriguez is a candidate to pitch out of the bullpen in October - - something he'd done just twice before in his big league career. One of those occasions came in the postseason last October in Houston, an appearance in which he yielded an infield single and hit a batter before being lifted.

EOVALDI IN THE CONVERSATION When asked about Eovaldi's chances to start in October, Cora started talking about matchups. That suggests that Cora will wait to see who wins next week's AL Wild Card Game between the Yankees and A's.

If the Yankees advance to face the Red Sox in the AL Division Series, Eovaldi could start, as the Yankees have hit lefties harder than righties this season. If the A's advance, Rodriguez could start; not only has Oakland hit righties harder than lefties, but Rodriguez has pitched a pair of gems at the Oakland Coliseum in his career.

HE SAID IT "For this to happen is very special. We sit down at home and sometimes we're in awe, like, 'This is really happening?'" -- Cora, on the 106-win season

UP NEXT Don't expect the Red Sox to rest on their laurels during the final week of the season. With five days off built into the schedule before Game 1 of the ALDS, David Price (15-7, 3.53 ERA) and the Red Sox will look to keep their foot on the gas pedal against the Orioles on Tuesday at Fenway Park. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET.

Cora: No set rules for final rotation turns

Brian MacPherson

BOSTON -- There's no one-size-fits-all formula for preparing for October.

A year ago with the Astros, then-bench coach Alex Cora watched workhorse Justin Verlander throw 110 pitches in his final regular-season start while dialed it back to just 64 pitches. Morton and Verlander made a combined nine October starts as the Astros marched to a World Series championship.

Now as manager of the Red Sox, Cora similarly will let his pitchers decide what works best for them to prepare for the American League Division Series. He has generally taken it easy with his starters in September -- no Sox starter has thrown more than 101 pitches since Aug. 20 -- but he's prepared to let David Price, Chris Sale and Co. pitch as deep into their final starts of the regular season as they deem necessary.

"This week is more how they feel," Cora said. "We know the Wednesday one [Sale] is a big one for everybody. The other guys, like Rick Porcello probably Friday, we'll probably let him go."

Like Cora last season, Boston hitting coach was on the front lines for the National League champion a year ago. That experience will help inform the program Hyers designs for Red Sox hitters, who will go four days without seeing live pitching after the regular season ends.

Most Sox regulars will play two of the three games over the weekend against the Yankees, who are battling the A's for home-field advantage in the AL Wild Card Game. Rivalry or no rivalry, the Red Sox have reason to try to beat the Yankees in those three games, as they'd prefer to face an opponent just a day removed from a cross-country flight from California over an opponent making the short trip up from New York.

Cora said the Red Sox could mix some live batting practice into their workouts next week to keep their hitters sharp -- but he ruled out an occasion like the one the team hosted before their run.

"I don't think we'll play, like, an intrasquad game," he said.

Bogey good to go

Xander Bogaerts was right back in the lineup on Monday night against Baltimore, one day after a sore left shoulder prompted Cora to lift him from a game in the middle of an at-bat.

Bogaerts wasn't thrilled to be removed from the game Sunday night -- "I'm good with him, but sometimes I'll be tough," Cora said -- but he didn't have to convince his manager to play him on Monday. Cora notified Bogaerts on Monday morning that he'd be on the field against the Orioles.

* WEEI.com

The Red Sox have home-field advantage. Does it matter?

Rob Bradford

While the Red Sox breaking their organization's record for most wins in a season was certainly something, it was just one of two takeaways from the Monday night win over the Orioles. And the second one is actually something that might matter the most.

The Sox have clinched home-field advantage throughout the postseason, including the World Series. (Yes, thankfully the fraudulent All-Star Game payoff is a thing of the past.) Each and every round Alex Cora's team will play in is going to start at Fenway Park, and end there if a decisive Game 5 or Game 7 is needed.

"I know how it gets here in the playoffs. I know how tough it is to come here," Cora said after his team's 6- 2 win over the Orioles. "It's not a comfortable place to come and play. It's always good -- it doesn't guarantee you you're going to win the World Series, but having the last games of series is very important. I saw it last year firsthand, how loud it can get here. I played here, too, in '07, and the playoffs in '08. It's a special place, but it's a tough place for the visitors to come." (For a complete recap of the Red Sox' 106th win, click here.)

But in baseball, does it really matter?

A quick survey around the Red Sox' clubhouse suggests that it actually does.

"When the crowd gets into it you can almost see the look on the other team’s face when something big is going to happen. It’s a game-changer," said Steve Pearce, who was forced to start on the road in two postseason series while playing for the Orioles in 2014.

"When we were in Detroit we felt it. They started to get a rally going in the ninth inning and the place started to get loud and we’re like, ‘Uh oh.’ They had the middle of their lineup coming up and it felt like a sleeping giant had been awoken. You could feel it. It’s a big part of the game. Physically. Mentally. You don’t want to be on the receiving end of fans getting on you. It’s a big part of the game."

"One hundred percent," J.D. Martinez said in August on the matter. "If it didn’t change there wouldn’t be any home field advantage. It’s the same thing (as the other professional sports). The stadium is still 100 yards. The basket is still there. The field goal posts are the same. Everything is the same. The difference is the atmosphere which changes everything.

"If you go to a playoff game in Fenway and you walk in, and you walk into a regular season game is it not different? Pitchers aren’t different. You get to the atmosphere is different. That changes everything. Home- court advantage in baseball or football, what’s different? Nothing changes (on the field) but the atmosphere changes."

The consensus is that where the dynamic truly comes into play is when you have a team made up of a bunch of postseason newbies.

That was certainly the case when the first pitch was thrown at Progressive Field during the Red Sox' series against the Indians in 2016. Swings were late. Pitchers' pace was slow. There seemed to be a tangible effect on the actual performance of a somewhat wide-eyed Red Sox team.

It worked against the Red Sox in Cleveland, and when the Indians jumped out early in Game 3 it took more than half the game for the Fenway Park crowd to offer any sort of impact. But when a rally did start, and the Sox' fans woke up, the Indians certainly appeared like a team sweating it out while stumbling to the finish line.

"Home-field advantage is big especially if you don’t have a lot of guys on your team that have playoff experience," said Red Sox reliever Joe Kelly. For young guys the first couple of times in the playoffs home-field advantage is key. I think it matters a lot."

"It matters. With our fans, I’m sure it’s going to make a difference," said Mookie Betts. "You have to have a different mindset. Even at home. We can feed off of momentum and what not but you have to go out and play and try not to worry about the fans so much, going up and down with how the fans are. Having done it twice I should be able to better weather the storm this year."

Some are able to tune out the crowd, downplaying the on-field benefits. But that doesn't mean there isn't a payoff.

"I don’t think it impacts the game," said Andrew Benintendi. "When it’s loud like last year in Houston it wasn’t intimidating. It was just loud. It didn’t scare us or anything like. I guess the only advantage is you get to stay in your own house. Staying in your own place is a big deal."

For what it's worth, seven of the last eight World Series have started with the home team winning Game 1. Coincidence? More than a few don't think so.

Why Nathan Eovaldi might get postseason start, not Eduardo Rodriguez

Rob Bradford

It turns out those games in Yankee Stadium did mean something more than just a chance to pop another round of champagne corks.

Alex Cora told reporters Sunday that the plan now is to start Nathan Eovaldi Monday, with Eduardo Rodriguez coming in out of the bullpen. That is change of course from what the manager was saying was his original plan, which had Eovaldi the one being integrated as a reliever.

Nothing is official, but it's not difficult to read the tea leaves.

"Just for them, kind of like, to get used to it, too," Cora said. "We don’t know who we’re going to play, so we’ll make decisions later on. But Nate came out of the bullpen already. We know he can do it. I know Eduardo did it last year in the division series for whatever it was, two hitters or three, but it will be good for him to go out there and come in and compete from there."

The performance Eovaldi turned in at Yankee Stadium last week was certainly notable, giving up just two hits over six innings. It was his second straight dominant outing against New York while wearing a Red Sox uniform, having shut out the Yanks for eight innings on Aug. 4.

Conversely, Rodriguez's start in the Bronx was painful. The lefty needed 100 pitches to get through 3 2/3 innings, giving up five runs along the way. In his previous start at Yankee Stadium Rodriguez also had some issues allowing five runs over six frames.

And in case you didn't know, there is a 50 percent chance the Red Sox will be facing the Yankees in the American League Division Series, with the fourth starter having to pitch in Yankee Stadium.

Pitching Rodriguez out of the bullpen is intriguing considering his stuff and ability to get left-handed hitters out. But he has only done it twice in his career, with the aforementioned relief appearance in Game 2 of the 2017 American League Division Series not going well (4 pitches, 2 runs). The lefty has had significant success against New York's , however, with the slugger 0-for-9 against Rodriguez.

And Oakland?

Rodriguez has faced the A's once this season, giving up three runs on six hits in a 96-pitch outing. What is interesting to note is his success in Oakland where has totaled eight innings in each of his two starts, giving up three runs in one and just one hit in the other. Then again, if they needed a pitcher to come on out of the bullpen to get home run leader Khris Davis, Rodriguez would be the man, with the righty hitter 0-for-12 with seven strikeouts against the Sox hurler.

Eovaldi's only outing against the A's this season came in his first start of the season, tossing six innings. His most notable matchup possibility? Jed Lowrie is 0-for-8 against the righty.

* NESN.com

Red Sox Wrap: Boston Sets Franchise Win Record, Beats Orioles 6-2

Logan Mullen

The 2018 Red Sox situated themselves in the franchise record books Monday night.

Boston dispatched the 6-2 at Fenway Park in the series opener of a three-game set, and in doing so set the franchise record for wins in a season at 106. And beyond how the win cements them in franchise folklore, the Red Sox also secured home field advantage throughout the playoffs with the victory. Nathan Eovaldi looked sharp in his five innings of work, striking out 10 while allowing just one run. Mookie Betts, meanwhile, hit his 32nd homer of the season in the victory.

With the win, the Red Sox climbed to 106-51, while the Orioles fell to 45-111.

Here’s how it went down:

GAME IN A WORD Historic.

This team has been fun to watch all season, and now Sox squads after them will be chasing their historic record.

ON THE BUMP — Eovaldi continued his recent run of success with a solid outing, as he upped his record on the season to 6-7. The hard-throwing righty allowed one run on four hits over five innings, striking out 10 while not giving up a walk. After allowing a little bit of traffic on the bases in the first two innings, Eovaldi tossed 1- 2-3 frames in the third and fourth. In the fifth, Eovaldi got into his first bit of trouble. The right-hander allowed two singles to begin the frame, with the latter putting runners on the corners. The 28-year-old then uncorked a wild pitch, which allowed a run to score to cut Boston’s advantage to 6-1. Eovaldi buckled down nicely in response, however, striking out the next three batters to end the frame — and ultimately his night — stranding a runner on second.

— Eduardo Rodriguez took over in the sixth and pitched a 1-2-3 inning. He returned for the seventh and allowed a hit in a scoreless frame. The southpaw finished his two innings of work with two strikeouts.

— Joe Kelly got one out in the eighth inning, but was pulled upon loading the bases via a base hit and two walks.

— Ryan Brasier took over with the bases juiced and one out in the eighth and gave up a to Adam Jones, trimming Boston’s advantage to 6-2. He then picked off Jonathan Villar at first to end the frame. The run Baltimore scored was charged to Kelly.

— Matt Barnes closed the door with a scoreless ninth, allowing one hit.

IN THE BATTER’S BOX — The Red Sox got on the board first, going on an offensive tear in the second inning. Steve Pearce smacked a one-out double down the left-field line to get things going, then scored the next at-bat when Brock Holt drilled a two-bagger of his own off the Green Monster, making it 1-0. Christian Vazquez then plated Holt with a single to double the lead. With two outs in the frame, Betts blasted a two-run shot to make it 4-0.

— Boston continued to do damage in the fourth. Jackie Bradley Jr. and Betts began the frame with singles, with Andrew Benintendi driving in Bradley with a single to make it 5-0. After J.D. Martinez walked to load the bases, Xander Bogaerts hit a single to left, keeping the bases loaded with no outs and extending the lead to 6-0. That was as far as the Sox would get, with Rafael Devers grounding into a double play and Pearce flying out.

— Betts, Benintendi and Bogaerts led the Sox with two hits apiece.

— Pearce, Holt, Vazquez and Bradley all had one hit.

— Martinez and Devers went hitless.

TWEET OF THE DAY Nothing better (until October gets here).

UP NEXT The Red Sox and Orioles will meet for the middle contest of their three-game set Tuesday night. Boston will send David Price to the mound, with first pitch from Fenway Park scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET.

* Bostonsportsjournal.com

BSJ Game Report: Red Sox 6, Orioles 2 – Sox set all-time win mark, clinch MLB’s best record

Sean McAdam

Record-breaking win: After coming close to historic wins in each of the previous two nights in Cleveland before losing both times in the 11th inning, the Red Sox saved win No. 106 for the home fans at Fenway, and in so doing, broke a record that had lasted 106 seasons. Both Alex Cora and the longest-tenured player on the roster, Dustin Pedroia, addressed the team postgame and advised the players to soak in the moment. “Unreal,” gushed Cora. “We never talk about records or stuff like that. You just talk to (the players) before the season about showing up every day and playing the game the right way. They’ve done it for a while. They’re very consistent and we’re proud of them.” The win also wrapped up the best record in baseball and marks the first time since 1946 that the Sox have had baseball’s best record to themselves (They tied for the honor in both 2007 and 2013). “It means you’re going down in history,” observed Mookie Betts. “Your name’s a part of something special, especially in this organization that’s been around so long. So, it’s a blessing to be a part of something like this.”

Eovaldi stakes his claim: There’s some uncertainty about the back end of the Red Sox rotation for the postseason. It’s a given that Chris Sale, David Price and Rick Porcello will represent the Big 3 for the Sox, but the fourth spot could go to either Nathan Eovaldi or Eduardo Rodriguez. The spot may be determined by the opponent, or it could be decided by who pitches best here in the final week. Either way, Eovaldi made a strong case for himself with five innings of one-run ball with four hits allowed, no walks and 10 strikeouts. “Nate was awesome,” said Cora. “He used his fastball in different spots. He threw his (split- finger fastball), some , he was up in the zone, pitched inside. It was one of those outings where, all of a sudden, you look up and he has 10 strikeouts.” Eovaldi has allowed just one run over his last 11 innings. How — or when — he’s used isn’t important to him. “I’m not sure what my role will be,” he said. “Whenever I take the ball, I’ll try to do my best.”

Betts keeps mashing: Coming into the game, Betts was on a hot streak with eight hits over his previous two games including four doubles and two homers. He kept up that pace early Monday night with a two-run homer in the second, followed by a single, a stolen base and a run scored in the third before going hitless in his final two plate appearances. “It comes in waves,” shrugged Betts of his recent stretch, “so I’ll just ride this one.” If nothing else, Betts has demonstrated that the soreness he felt in his right side eight days isn’t hampering him at the plate. “He impacts the game like no other player in the big leagues,” said Cora. “You see the numbers. He’s locked in right now. It seems like every at-bat, he’s ready to hit. He’s been great.”

TURNING POINT

Given the ineptitude of the Orioles — who lost for the 111th time — a multiple-run lead against them is virtually insurmountable. So, when the Sox managed to score four times in the bottom of the second against starter Dylan Bundy — on a run-scoring double by Brock Holt, an RBI single from Christian Vazquez and a two-run homer by Betts — the game was effectively over before the third inning even began.

TWO UP

Eduardo Rodriguez: Making his first relief appearance of the season and second of his career, Rodriguez pitched two scoreless innings and allowed just one hit while striking out two.

Xander Bogaerts: He was able to inch closer to the 100-RBI threshold with a run-scoring single in the fourth, giving him 96 RBI for the season. He later added another single in the sixth.

ONE DOWN

Joe Kelly: It’s not getting any better for the veteran reliever. He came in to start the eighth and promptly allowed a hit, then walked two sandwiched around a strikeout.

QUOTE OF NOTE

“We should call time out and enjoy this one. We know what we have to do in October. But to be able to do this, at this level, in this division … for us to do it is amazing.” — Cora on setting the franchise record for wins.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

In games in which they score five runs this season, the Red Sox are 78-10 Thirty of the Red Sox’ 106 wins have come against Toronto and Baltimore The Sox are 18-2 in their last 20 games against the Orioles. This marks the fifth time in franchise history the Sox will have sole possession of the best record in MLB and first time since 1946. In five appearances at Fenway since joining the Red Sox, Nathan Eovaldi is 3-1 with a 2.17 ERA.

UP NEXT

The Red Sox and Orioles play the middle game of their series at 7:10 with LHP David Price (15-7, 3.53) vs. RHP Jimmy Yacabonis (0-2, 6.34)

With nothing at stake, Red Sox wrestling with how to handle this week and next

Sean McAdam

The atmosphere around the Red Sox these days feels, at times, less like the final week of the regular season and more like the last week of spring training.

For one thing, there are excess bodies everywhere, including players who won’t be part of the active roster in a week’s time. The crowded conditions can make for a cramped clubhouse — not unlike the final week of March, when equipment backs stack up and preparations are made for the trip North to start the season.

And just like spring training, the games currently taking place aren’t terribly meaningful. The Red Sox clinched a playoff spot two weeks ago and last Thursday wrapped up the American League East title. Heading into the first night of the current homestand, the team’s magic number to cement the best record — and with it, home field advantage throughout the postseason — was one, making a fait accompli with six games remaining.

There are some personal statistics at stake in the final week. The Sox would like shortstop Xander Bogaerts to reach the 100-RBI plateau and for Mookie Betts to add two more stolen bases in order to become just the second player in franchise to enjoy a 30-30 season.

Beyond those goals, the Red Sox find themselves in a bit of suspended animation. They have games still to play, but the results are of little consequence. As such, manager Alex Cora is trying to balance his approach and prepare for his team’s first playoff game which remains 11 full days away.

If a consensus about how to treat the final week has been developed in baseball, it’s not obvious. Some teams emphasize rest for their regulars, but that, too, has its risks: for division winners who aren’t required to take part in the wild-card round, there are four idle days between regular season Game No. 162 and the first game of the Division Series.

Teams that reward their starting position players with a light workload in the final week risk making them rusty when the postseason begins in earnest. Conversely, pushing players down the stretch — especially after the long, six-month grind — can result in fatigue, or worse, last-minute injuries.

Meanwhile, some starting pitchers are ramping up after being sidelined with injuries, while others are being given extra days between starts to reflect high-innings totals. That means 90 or so pitches for Chris Sale on Wednesday, while Rick Porcello will get the benefit of five days in between his last start (Saturday in Cleveland) and his final one of the season (Friday against the Yankees).

Ultimately, Cora trusts that whomever he has in the lineup, the Red Sox will play with energy and crispness.

“Sharpness or playing hard with this group — we don’t have that problem,” said Cora.

Should the Yankees not clinch home field in the wild-card game by the time they arrive at Fenway on Friday, the Sox might approach the final series with a little more sense of purpose. While the Sox don’t appear to have a preference in who their first-round opponent is, they might welcome the opportunity to force the Yankees to have to travel to the West Coast for their win-or-go-home game. Under that scenario, whichever teams advances between the A’s and Yankees, they’ll have to travel to across the country to prior to Game 1.

How to handle next week is another matter. Other than at the All-Star break, teams aren’t accustomed to having four consecutive days off.

Cora is undecided on to how to handle next week, when the Red Sox will need to stay busy while their ALDS opponent is being determined. Cleveland manager Terry Francona said Sunday that he plans a to organize an intra-squad game for Oct. 3, to provide some game-like conditions, and, just maybe, break up the boredom that can come during a week in which no official games are played over a period of four days.

Cora indicated he had no plans to organize a game, but he’s been canvassing his coaching staff, sounding them out on their thoughts and asking what they’ve done elsewhere with other organizations.

“We’ll sit down and see,” Cora said. “You’re still going to have off-days. There’s not too much you can do. If (the hitters) want to see live pitching, we’ll do it. I know in ’07 and ’08, that’s what we did here (as a player). You have your workouts and there were guys who had to throw their , so we made it live BP. We know for sure Monday is going to be off and we’ll go from there.”

However the Sox handle things, it will come under the heading of “first-place problems,” which surely beats the alternative of playing out the string in the season’s final week with no postseason play awaiting them.

* The Athletic

Let’s take a moment to appreciate the greatest regular season in Red Sox history

Chad Jennings

None of this will matter a week from now, so for just this moment, let’s pause to appreciate a truly great regular season.

The Red Sox on Monday played for the only thing they had left, and they got it. A 6-2 win against the Orioles was win No. 106, making this the winningest season in franchise history and assuring the Red Sox the best record in baseball this year.

As far as 162-game regular seasons go, it’s a pretty big deal.

“It’s unreal,” manager Alex Cora said. “You think about the history of the game and the history of this franchise and to be part of this, I cannot explain it.”

But how often do we remember a great team based on its regular season? The 2004 Red Sox are among the most celebrated teams in baseball history, and they didn’t even win their division. The only real purpose of the regular season is to advance into the playoffs. Everything else is gravy. This Red Sox season just happens to have a lot of gravy. It’s surely worth something, but it’s hard to say what exactly.

“I really have not thought much about that,” president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said. “I think really, the biggest goal is to win the division, and that’s really been the focus. Any of the other part of it really hasn’t been a focal point. All of a sudden, you look up and have 105 wins, and it’s great, and you start hearing about the most wins in franchise history. It’s a tremendous accomplishment.”

Granted, other teams have won more games – the Red Sox have no chance of tying the record of 116 set by the 1906 Cubs and matched by the 2001 Mariners – but 106 is rarified territory. Only 18 other teams since 1900 have won this many, and some of those are among the most storied of all time: Cincinnati’s Big Red Machine in 1975, the Murderers’ Row Yankees of 1927, John McGraw’s Giants of 1904, Connie Mack’s Athletics of 1931, Earl Weaver’s Orioles of 1969.

Despite all of their collective history, the Cardinals, Dodgers and Tigers have one 106-win season among them, and none of those franchises has ever won more than 106. These Red Sox have five games left to build on their total. Only 14 teams have ever won 107, only 11 have won 108, only eight have won 109, and only six have won 110.

“Teams shoot for 92,” Cora said. “(Winning) 92 is a pretty good season, and with 92, if you make it, good. If you don’t make it, somebody else stepped up and beat you to the spot. So, I always had in mind 94, 95. But this is awesome. This is cool.”

Of course, there are several problems with judging a season based on a win total.

For one thing, some of these 106-win teams got there in 156 or fewer games (though, to be fair, this is only the fifth 106-win season in the past 42 years, so it’s rare even with today’s 162-game schedule).

Mostly, though, baseball teams aren’t remembered for their regular season achievements. Players are remembered that way – MVP awards, Cy Young awards, single-season records – but teams need rings. Those 116 regular season wins meant squat when the 2001 Mariners couldn’t even finish off the American League pennant. They were knocked out in the ALCS by the Yankees, and easily overshadowed by the Diamondbacks, who won just 92 games but walked off with a trophy after one of the most memorable World Series ever.

So here is, perhaps, the good news: the Red Sox have a history of taking advantage of elite seasons like this. Although they’re in uncharted territory in terms of total wins, they have finished with baseball’s best record six times (1903, 1912, 1915, 1946, 2007 and 2013), and in five of those seasons, they’ve gone on to win the World Series (1946 was the lone exception; a Game 7 series loss to the 98-win Cardinals).

But that’s a concern for next month.

Craig Kimbrel comes in from the bullpen after the historic win | Photo: Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) Here and now, the Red Sox are finishing off a historic season that comes on the heels of a disappointing 2017 that ended in a first-round playoff exit and a fired manager.

But Cora now has the second-most wins of any first-year manager in baseball history, trailing only Ralph Houk, who won 109 games with the Yankees in 1961.

Cora’s the first non-white manager in Red Sox history. His style blends analytical savvy with an appreciation for the human element. He speaks candidly, references social media, and has comfortable relationships inside the clubhouse. At 42, Cora could be a transformative manager for the modern era. So far, his approach is working.

Of course, it helps to have modern day superstars on the field, and this Red Sox season has been propelled by two of the best in the game.

Mookie Betts is one of the game’s true five-tool players. He’s one steal away from a 30-homer, 30-steal season. He leads the league in batting average and ranks second in OPS. He has the most defensive runs saved of any outfielder. His 10.6 WAR, according to Baseball Reference, is the highest in the majors, and it’s higher than , , , Nomar Garciaparra or Dustin Pedroia ever achieved in a single season.

And yet, there’s a case to be made that Betts is not even the MVP of his own team because designated hitter J.D. Martinez is flirting with a triple crown – he currently ranks first or second in average, home runs and RBIs – while setting offensive career highs nearly across the board. With one more home run, he’ll have the most ever for a first-year Red Sox player. Martinez has become the poster boy for the modern-day slugger with a swing built to lift and an approach obsessed with preparation, and his influence in the clubhouse and in the lineup has been unmistakable.

Hitting in front of Martinez, Andrew Benintendi’s second big league season has been even better than his first. Hitting behind Martinez, Xander Bogaerts is on track for career highs in slugging percentage and OPS. The Red Sox lead the majors in runs scored, and perhaps more significantly, lead in team slugging percentage one year after being the second-worst slugging team in the American League (they’ve hit nine grand slams; last year they hit none).

On the mound, Chris Sale might have been in line to finally win a , had he not missed a month because of a shoulder injury. His 0.85 WHIP and 2.00 ERA would rank first and second in the American League if he had enough innings to qualify, and even without those innings, he ranks third in strikeouts. With Sale hurt, it was David Price who stepped into the ace role with a 2.00 ERA over his last 10 starts, the best two months of his tumultuous Red Sox tenure.

If Price was the highest-profile story of redemption for this Red Sox team, reliever Ryan Brasier’s rise from total obscurity was the least likely, while Brock Holt and Blake Swihart also rejuvenated their careers by playing important roles off the bench. Biggest surprise, though? That had to be the team’s decision to release Hanley Ramirez after two months. Ramirez was literally the regular No. 3 hitter one day and gone the next, despite the Red Sox being responsible for nearly $15 million left on his contract.

Money, though, was no object. After signing Martinez to a five-year, $110-million deal in spring training, the Red Sox made three in-season trades that pushed their payroll above the highest luxury tax threshold of $237 million. Each win has cost ownership roughly the same as Holt’s salary. But, hey, great regular seasons don’t come cheap, and the Red Sox have expensive taste.

They came out of the gate with a 17-2 record, the best start in franchise history. They literally fought the Yankees in April, then beat them in September to clinch the division title. This team has had a flair for the dramatic (47 come-from-behind wins, seven walk-offs) but it’s also pummeled teams into submission (MLB-best 88 games scoring five runs or more; and they’re 78-10 in those contests). The Red Sox are on pace to have at least a .620 winning percentage in every month for the first time since 1912, when they set the previous franchise record for wins at 105.

In one week, none of this will matter. The regular season will end, the playoffs will begin, and the Red Sox will start from scratch in the division series that has ended each of their past two playoff runs. That’s when we’ll discover whether all of this success has a chance to really mean something.

“It’s tremendous, it’s great, I don’t mean to take anything away from it,” Dombrowski said. “But it’s also not something we talk about much.”

Let’s talk about it today, then we can move on to what really matters.

* The Baltimore Sun

Bundy is latest Orioles starter to tax bullpen as he lasts just three innings in 6-2 loss to Red Sox

Jon Meoli

A question that for most of this year has been facetious becomes less and less so as the date in question draws near: How are the Orioles going to get to the end of this season?

After Monday night’s 6-2 loss to the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park — during which their only remaining starter from the Opening Day rotation, Dylan Bundy, threw 90 pitches in three laborious innings and further stretched a pitching staff that despite roster expansion can barely cover the required innings on a given day — all that’s assured is that these last six games will not be comfortable ones. Bundy took that weight on and saw it overcome him.

“It’s not surprising, just frustrating for him,” manager Buck Showalter said. “I think he almost wanted it too much.

“That’s why he got so frustrated with the balls and strikes, too,” Showalter added, calling the umpiring “one-sided.”

Bundy could have provided a small consolation had he delivered the game to the bullpen deeper into the game. But after striking out two in a 25-pitch first inning, he allowed four runs on five hits — including a home run by American League Most Valuable Player candidate Mookie Betts — in the second inning. A pair of two-out walks in a scoreless third inning extended his pitch count to the point that the Orioles (45- 111) brought Donnie Hart in for the fourth.

Hart allowed four singles and a walk to the first five batters he faced, with two scoring, and provided only one inning before Sean Gilmartin was assigned the rest of the game. He allowed one hit in four shutout innings.

“That was really our two guys tonight,” Showalter said. “Could have pushed some people I didn’t want to push. Much like Dylan — Dylan wanted to keep pushing, but 90 pitches in three innings is just not good any time of the year. I know he’s frustrated with it. But Sean did a great job in that role.”

Orioles add left-hander John Means, who could start this week amid September pitching crisis Gilmartin was plucked from consideration to start either Tuesday night’s or Wednesday night’s game, the former open as a consequence of the season-ending hamstring injury for Luis Ortiz and the latter open because Yefry Ramírez, brought back into the rotation only recently, needs a few extra days for a cut on his hand to heal. Instead, Jimmy Yacabonis will start Tuesday.

They have 19 pitchers on the active roster; seven of them — Alex Cobb (finger), Andrew Cashner (knee), Miguel Castro (knee), Josh Rogers (shut down), Evan Phillips (shut down), Ortiz and Ramírez — are dealing with injuries or otherwise unavailable. That gives them the numbers of a pre-roster expansion pitching staff with a minor league call-up quality to it. September baseball is a manager’s nightmare, but this is a level unto itself.

Neither Bundy nor veteran outfielder Adam Jones wanted to address the pitching shortage. Bundy said it’s his job to pitch when the time comes, and Jones referred the question to management.

“That’s a question you need to ask the people that are talking about the rebuild, not me,” Jones said.

Yet even as Showalter stood huddled in the visiting team’s dugout at Fenway Park before Monday’s game, inhaling the fumes from an industrial heater brought out to combat September’s first cold snap, he acknowledged that the Orioles’ pitching situation was so tenuous that he couldn’t count on a long outing from Bundy.

Considering that he was their Opening Day starter and appeared to have his latest malaise behind him with back-to-back quality starts, Showalter wouldn’t have been faulted for counting on Bundy for that.

Instead, Bundy (8-16) left with a 5.49 ERA and likely one start remaining— against the reigning World Series champion Houston Astros — with a chance to end his season on a good note. He’s already reached the meaningful 30-start milestone, but hasn’t finished terribly strong — he’s allowed a league-high 39 home runs. He relishes another shot — and the Orioles will need a good one to complete the minimum required 52 innings of pitching before everyone goes home.

“If I’ve got another start, I plan on making it,” Bundy said. “I’m just going to prepare like I am and throw my bullpen in between and finish the season with one more.”

Said Showalter: “I keep hearing this stuff about shutting this guy, shutting that guy down. Dylan wants no part of it. He feels as good as he’s felt all year, and part of pitching up here is pitching in September and pitching in October, playing the season. It’s part of it,”

On a night when the Orioles managed six singles — three by third baseman Renato Núñez — and scored only on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly by Jones, it wasn’t enough to prevent Boston from winning for the franchise-record 106th time.

*

Red Sox beat Orioles 6-2 to clinch home field through Series

BOSTON -- The Red Sox were still shaking hands on the field when the "106" went up in the win column of the AL East standings that are posted on the Green Monster.

Scoreboards flashed "106 Wins." Fans waved signs to celebrate breaking a record that has stood as long as Fenway Park itself.

"You think about all the history of the game and the history of this franchise," Boston manager Alex Cora said after the Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 6-2 on Monday night to earn their record 106th victory and clinch home-field advantage through the postseason.

"To be part of this, I can't even explain it. We should call timeout and enjoy this one," said Cora, who is in his first year as manager. "We know what we want to do in October, but this one ... for us to do it is amazing."

Mookie Betts had a pair of hits to leave his major league-best batting average at .343, and Nathan Eovaldi struck out 10 hapless batters to assure the Red Sox of the best record in the major leagues this season and home-field advantage through the World Series, if they make it that far.

For now, they know they will open the Division Series at Fenway Park on Oct. 5 against the winner of the AL wild-card game between the and (most likely) Oakland.

"I know how it gets here in the playoffs," said Cora, who played on the team from 2006-08 and was a bench coach with the Astros when they beat Boston in the divisional round last year. "It's a special place, and it's a tough place for the visitors in the postseason."

The 1912 Red Sox won 105 games in their first season at Fenway Park.

PEP TALKS

Cora said he spoke to the team after the game, and so did injured second baseman Dustin Pedroia, the longest-tenured member of the team.

"Enjoy it," Betts recalled Cora saying. "We've got a great group of guys, a special group of guys. Finish out strong before the playoffs start."

LOSING SIDE

The Orioles (45-111) matched the franchise record for defeats set by the 1939 St. Louis Browns, who went 43-111. They became the sixth AL team and the first since the 2003 Tigers to lose 111 games, falling 60 1/2 games behind Boston (106-51) in the division. It's the first time since 1939 that teams separated by 60 wins in the standings have played each other.

Renato Nunez had three hits for the Orioles, who fell to 2-15 against Boston and 18-61 on the road this season.

HOW THEY SCORED

Boston scored four in the second inning, getting back-to-back doubles from Steve Pearce and Brock Holt, an RBI single from Christian Vazquez and Betts' two-run homer over the Green Monster. It was the 32nd homer of the season for Betts, a new career high.

Betts also singled and scored in Boston's two-run fourth, moving him into the major-league lead with 125 runs. In his last three games, he is 10 for 16 with three homers and four doubles, and he leads teammate J.D. Martinez (.328) in the AL batting race.

FOR STARTERS

Six days after throwing six scoreless innings against the Yankees, Eovaldi (6-7) allowed one run on four hits in five innings, walking none but throwing a pair of wild pitches.

Baltimore starter Dylan Bundy (8-16) gave up four runs, five hits and three walks in three innings, striking out five.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Orioles: RHP Yefrey Ramirez is scheduled to start on Wednesday, but manager Buck Showalter said he wanted to give him an extra day or two. "I think Yefrey will pitch again, I just don't know when," Showalter said.

Red Sox: SS Xander Bogaerts was back in the lineup after feeling soreness in his left shoulder during a swing and leaving Sunday night's game. ... INF Eduardo Nunez ran on Sunday to test his hamstring and was scheduled to run again on Monday with the goal of having him back in the lineup by Wednesday or Friday.

UP NEXT

LHP David Price (15-7) tries to bounce back from a rough start in Yankee Stadium in the second game of the series in what could be his last start of the regular season. RHP Jimmy Yacabonis (0-2) will start for Baltimore.