Red Sox rally on back-to-back Abreu and Contreras homers to beat Athletics
sportsJul 31, 202639165
In West Sacramento on July 30, 2026 Wilyer Abreu tied the game with his 16th home run and Willson Contreras followed on the next pitch with a go-ahead solo to lift the Boston Red Sox to a 5-4 win over the Oakland Athletics. Both homers came in the top of the eighth off Luis Medina, with Contreras' blast tracked at a 104.8 mph exit velocity, a 33 degree launch angle and a projected 414 feet. Sonny Gray lasted seven innings for Boston, allowing four earned runs while striking out five on 97 pitches and taking the win. Aroldis Chapman recorded the save. Ceddanne Rafaela finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a stolen base; Abreu was 1-for-4 with the homer. The victory gave Boston the series win in the four-game set and dropped Oakland's playoff odds further, leaving the A’s at 45-64 after the loss.
