Tyler O’Neill hit a game-ending bloop single to give the Boston Red Sox a 5-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday night.
Jarren Duran hit a two-run triple and Connor Wong drove in two runs with a pair of two-out singles, helping Boston to the win in the rubber game of the weekend set. The Red Sox beat the Cubs 17-0 on Saturday.
Chicago trailed 4-1 before Mike Tauchman hit a tying three-run homer against Chris Martin in the eighth inning. Matt Mervis hit an RBI single in the seventh for the Cubs' first run of the game.
For the second straight day, a large gathering of Cubs fans that made the trip to Fenway Park were unable to wave their “W” flags, a staple after wins at Wrigley Field.
Duran led off the ninth with a walk against Mark Leiter Jr. (0-1). He raced to third on Rafael Devers’ single.
O’Neill then hit a shallow fly toward left field. Shortstop Dansby Swanson, playing with the entire infield in, tried to make sliding catch, but it went off his glove and landed in the outfield grass.
Red Sox right-hander Tanner Houck struck out nine in 6 2/3 innings. He was charged with one run and four hits.
Kenley Jansen (1-0) worked the ninth for the victory.
Duran’s triple into the center-field triangle made it 4-0 in the sixth.
Boston shortstop Ceddanne Rafaela went 1 for 4 a day after going 4 for 4 with a two-run homer and driving in seven runs.
Despite dealing with injuries to their starting rotation, the Red Sox entered the day with a majors’ best 2.63 ERA, their lowest at this point of a season since 1920.
Red Sox right fielder Wilyer Abreu made a nice running catch on Swanson’s fifth-inning fly ball, and second baseman Enmanuel Valdez had a diving play on Nico Hoerner’s grounder the following inning.
Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya struck out swinging in the third, and his bat went flying over the protective netting. It went into the stands about 10 rows behind the Cubs’ on-deck circle, appearing to strike a fan. Medical personnel were looking at a person’s hand. They left their seat and walked away with the EMTs.
Cubs RHP Jameson Taillon (2-0, 1.69 ERA) is set to open a four-game series at the Mets on Monday. RHP Luis Severino (2-2, 2.67 ERA) is slated to start for New York.
