The Red Sox were playing for much more than to end their five-game losing streak. And with Boston's 4-1 win over the Detroit Tigers, manager Alex Cora dedicated the win to a very important member of the organization.
NESN broadcaster Jerry Remy announced Wednesday he'd be stepping away from the booth indefinitely as he receives treatment for lung cancer -- his latest battle with the disease.
The 68-year-old has been NESN's color analyst for Red Sox games since 1988, and he'll be missed during his absence. Cora offered a touching tribute to Remy after Boston's win to start his media availability:
I texted with Jerry before the game. He said, 'Get them going, let's go!' And so that was for him. We're gonna miss him, we're going to be fighting with him. I know you guys will too. So, my prayers and thoughts -- not only from me but from the whole organization -- are with the Rem Dawg. I know he's a fighter and he is going to be fine. We're going to fight with him. ...
I know he's tough, but we're going to be grinding with him and we're going to be there for him. He's always been there for us, not only for the players but for you guys, for for the whole fan base and the organization. And this time we're going to stay together and we're going to be fighting with him.
Remy, a 10-year Major League Baseball veteran himself, played for the Red Sox between 1978 and 1984 prior to his career as a broadcaster.
He has undergone multiple cancer treatments since first being diagnosed with lung cancer in 2008, and while all of the folks at the Red Sox and NESN will be right there with him, Remy is much tougher than most.
