The Red Sox will head back to Boston after Thursday’s win at Tropicana Field with teammates and personnel scattered in both Cleveland and Tampa Bay following a COVID-19 outbreak which sidelined 11 members of the team.
They’ll also head back to Boston after going 4-3 on their seven-game road trip against the Cleveland Indians and first-place Rays and, given what the team has gone through the last week, that’s a win in itself. Boston also didn’t have any positive tests or close contacts come back Thursday.
Cora was asked if this road trip was one of the “most successful” given the surrounding circumstances.
“It’s a good one. I mean, you win the series in Cleveland, obviously Sunday wasn’t perfect, and then we came here and lost the first two. And with everything going on, we had to rely on the other guys,” Cora said on a postgame video conference. “One thing I told you guys regardless of the results of the first two games, we were able to reset our bullpen. And we feel like we can pitch with anybody in the league, but when you limp into series, it’s tough.”
Cora noted how there were “good vibes” in the clubhouse following a pep talk from Chris Sale.
“It was a successful road trip and look forward to going home,” Cora said. “It was a total team effort. We played good defense again behind our starter and we were able to save the series, or split.”
Both starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez, who threw six scoreless innings, and Bobby Dalbec, who had a pair of RBIs, were happy to be leaving Tampa Bay on a high note, as well.
“We’re just trying to take it one day at a time,” Dalbec said. “I think that’s the only way you can kind of defend this kind of thing mentally. We never know what’s going to happen.”
The Red Sox will open up a three-game series with the Indians back in Boston on Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET, and you can watch it live on NESN.
