‘I’m getting chills’: Red Sox lengthen successful streak to 13 video games, their longest in 78 years

Boston Red Sox

“It is pretty incredible, and it’s been a fun ride, and we want to keep it going.”

By Trevor Hass

July 19, 2026 | 6:58 PM

4 minutes to learn

When you actually take a second to consider it, it’s legitimately inconceivable that this Red Sox staff is by far the most well liked in baseball and amid a really miraculous postseason push.

It’s one factor for a contender to tear off 13 straight wins. It’s one other for a seemingly hopeless, last-place staff to rise from the lifeless and sucker-punch 4 consecutive helpless opponents. 

This staff simply didn’t have it. You realize it whenever you see it. We’ve seen it quite a bit round right here. That unmistakable “it factor,” the place it feels prefer it’s only a matter of time earlier than the opposition crumbles. 

Instead, the Red Sox had the “ick factor,” the place watching them felt like a chore and followers have been counting down the times till the offseason. 

Then, abruptly, every little thing began to click on. Four towards the Yankees. Three extra versus the Angels, White Sox and Mets. That was nice and all, however might they maintain it after the All-Star break? Well, after sweeping the Rays in a four-game set this weekend — capped by a convincing, 6-1, triumph at Fenway Park on Sunday — it’s abundantly clear that this staff is right here to remain.

This is not any fluke. This is the brand new norm. Amid their longest successful streak since 1948 — with a celebrity named Ted Williams on the crux of the motion — the Red Sox (50-48) have established themselves as official contenders.

Interim supervisor Chad Tracy, who continues to show he belongs, mentioned his focus is on the following sport towards Baltimore. At the identical time, he acknowledged the magic of the run and what it entails.

“I won’t shy away from what we’re doing,” Tracy mentioned. “It is pretty incredible, and it’s been a fun ride, and we want to keep it going.”

It’s not simply that they’re successful; it’s how they’re successful. The rotation was by no means the issue. It was clear all alongside that if, by some miracle, the Red Sox might constantly rating runs, they’d put themselves in prime place to win video games.

After scoring 28 towards the Rays — doing so with a mixture of small ball and refreshing energy — this lineup appears harmful. 

The selection in Sunday’s sport encapsulated what has clicked for the group in current weeks. In the third inning, they scored three runs with out recording a success for the fifth time within the Expansion Era (since 1961) and first time since 2015. They have been affected person on the plate, opportunistic in key spots, and located a option to manufacture runs. 

Then, within the fifth, Willson Contreras put the sport out of attain with an opposite-field, two-run homer, to make it 6-1. He has homered in 4 of his final seven contests and is tied for the Major League lead in video games with a number of RBIs (20).

“We have to take advantage when everything is coming your way, and seeking small things to have very big, big results,” Contreras mentioned.

On the mound, ace Sonny Gray didn’t have his finest stuff however nonetheless managed to permit only one run in six innings to enhance to 12-1. Gray, noting that what he did Sunday shouldn’t be sustainable, mentioned he was a “little bit rusty.”

He consciously reminded himself that he didn’t should be excellent, so long as he discovered a option to give the staff an opportunity to prevail. Having a lineup behind him that may put runs on the board is a refreshing change of tempo, and feeding off the power from the followers helped Gray energy by way of in key spots. 

“The fans were electric for us this weekend,” Gray mentioned. “I’m getting chills. I mean, it was really, really special. People say coming to Boston and playing in Boston, there’s nothing like winning in Boston. The fans are a part of it, and we appreciate the energy that they bring. We need it.”

This is what it’s speculated to appear like round right here. No empty seats, “Sweet Caroline” has some further oomph, and followers on their ft all through the sport. Taking off their shirts and waving them will not be totally mandatory, however it illuminates the purpose that individuals care once more.

The final MLB groups to win 18 out of any span of 20 common season video games:

2006 Twins
2011 Brewers
2013 Rays
2013 Braves
2013 Dodgers
2017 Dodgers
2017 Indians
2018 Yankees
2019 Brewers
2021 Cardinals
2022 Dodgers
2023 Braves
2025 Brewers
2026 Red Sox 🔥pic.twitter.com/fY3HfN9lCb

— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) July 19, 2026

For Contreras, who has introduced the power all through, watching the ballpark come alive round him has been extraordinarily gratifying.

“I don’t want them to start saying, like shouting, ‘Sell the team!’ I don’t like that,” Contreras mentioned. “I take that personally, but they’re passionate about it. But I’m really proud of the team, of my team. Really proud of the work we’ve done. Really proud because of the way we started, how we are right now. And I know there’s a lot of games ahead, but they make me proud.”

This is a scrappy, unflappable, and decided group that followers can get behind. They’re probably not going to win 77 in a row to finish the common season (or possibly they are going to), however the video games matter once more, the vibes are again, and the power is electrical.

That’s all you may ask for, particularly contemplating the place they began. 

“We’ve just rolled with the punches so well,” mentioned infielder Caleb Durbin. “It feels like we can’t do any wrong right now.”