Alex Cora Cracks Joke To Rob Refsnyder Before Key Hit In Win Vs. Guardians

Manager Alex Cora tried to make a correlation between the recent losing skid for the Red Sox and the contract extension the organization gave to Rob Refsnyder on Saturday.

And Cora made sure to share his thoughts with Refnsyder and give the veteran outfielder a good-natured ribbing during Tuesday’s game against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field.

“At one point in the game I said, ‘Hey man, have we won a game since we extended you? What’s going on here?” Cora told reporters as seen on NESN postgame coverage. “He said, ‘Yeah, one.'”

Make that two, now. The Red Sox used a four-run rally in the eighth inning, which Refsnyder played a part of, to take down the Guardians and earn a 5-4 win, which snapped Boston’s three-game losing streak.

Refsnyder started the game on the bench but came on to pinch-hit for Jarren Duran in the sixth inning. After lining out in his first at-bat, Refsnyder came up in a far greater situation in the eighth. With the Red Sox having just tied up the game via a bases-loaded walk by Kiké Hernández, the Guardians went to the bullpen to have right-handed reliever Nick Sandlin face Refsnyder.

Refsnyder, who came into the contest hitting just .133 against righties, dropped in a single to right field off Sandlin to plate a run and give the Red Sox a 4-2 lead. And this time, there was no joking from Cora.

“He’s a really good at-bat,” Cora said. “Was able to stay on the pitch, go the other way. … We said a few days ago we’re happy that he’s going to be here more than this year. He’s a professional, he knows his role. He’s a good player.”