Red Sox win 15th consecutive game to match franchise record from 1946

Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald on Jul 22, 2026

Published in Baseball

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BOSTON — Outside Fenway Park’s Gate B stands “The Teammates,” the statue of Red Sox legends Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr, Johnny Pesky and Dom DiMaggio. Their 1946 selves are immortalized in bronze as an enduring reminder not only of their greatness on the field, but of their lifelong, deeply devoted friendship.

The beloved quartet was in the lineup on May 10, 1946 when the Red Sox defeated the New York Yankees 5-4 in the Bronx to win their franchise-record 15th consecutive game.

That streak stood unmatched for 29,293 days before the 2026 squad defeated the Baltimore Orioles 6-3 in the first game of a doubleheader on Wednesday.

It’s such an improbable win streak, this one the Red Sox are on. Not only because a month ago they were in the basement of the American League East and a dismal viewing experience at Fenway, but because of the delayed flights, rainouts and two doubleheaders that have challenged them over the course of this magical run.

After Tuesday night’s rainout, they were done waiting around. The Red Sox pounced on Orioles starter Dean Kremer in the bottom of the first, and came away with a four-run lead.

Singles by Masataka Yoshida and Ceddanne Rafaela opened the bottom of the first, and Willson Contreras’ one-out single loaded the bases. Caleb Durbin, the hero of Monday’s 6-5 series-opening victory, lined a two-run single to center. Jarren Duran’s two-out triple scored another two.

Jake Bennett anchored the game with 5 2/3 innings, and departed to a hearty standing ovation from the crowd (paid attendance: 35,039). The Orioles had traffic on the bases every inning, but were 2 for 8 with runners in scoring position and six left on base through the end of the sixth inning. Bennett allowed three earned runs on nine hits, struck out four and didn’t issue a walk. He threw 83 pitches, 64 for strikes and collected 14 swing-and-misses.

The fast-moving clouds that swept over Fenway like waves on a beach made even the most routine outs difficult. Baltimore got on the board in the top of the third when Tyler O’Neill hit a two-out flyball to left that Rafaela lost in the swirling mix of clouds and sun. It was ruled an RBI double, but it was all the Orioles got as Rafaela was able to locate Coby Mayo’s inning-ending flyout.

Boston responded immediately. A single by Durbin and double by Romy Gonzalez with one out in the third became another run thanks to a Duran sacrifice fly.

And when Orioles third baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand homered with one out in the top of the fourth, Rafaela countered with a two-out homer in the bottom of the inning.

Kremer’s six innings included six earned runs on eight hits, one walk and five strikeouts, but he found his form in the later frames, retiring 10 of his last 11 batters.

Justin Slaten and Garrett Whitlock received loud ovations of their own as they held the Baltimore batters scoreless for 1 1/3 and an inning, respectively.

The crowd was on its feet by the time Aroldis Chapman took the mound for the top of the ninth. They groaned as Holliday led off with a single, and roared as Tsung-Che Cheng, Gonzalez and Contreras turned a double play on Chadwick Tromp’s ground ball and Pete Alonso grounded out for the win.

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