It seemed like deja vu all over again.

For the sixth time in seven games to start the second half, the Red Sox bullpen blew a lead in the seventh inning or later. This time the collapse was particularly noisy, as Zack Kelly allowed back-to-back home runs — including a 470-foot three-run moonshot by Aaron Judge — to turn a one-run lead into a three-run deficit in the bottom of the seventh.

It could have been the latest in a string of ugly losses, but instead the Red Sox flipped the script on the Yankees and pulled out perhaps the defining win of their season so far.

After falling behind late the Red Sox rallied for five unanswered runs over the last three innings to stun the Yankees 9-7 in Friday’s series opener. Wilyer Abreu tied the game with a pinch-hit RBI double in the bottom of the eighth, and Masataka Yoshida came through with the go-ahead two-run single to put Boston ahead for good.

“It’s big, these guys never give up,” said closer Kenley Jansen, who pitched a scoreless ninth to lock up the win and earn his 20th save of the season. “They keep fighting, putting good at-bats, and that’s what we need.”

Manager Alex Cora described the win as one of the crazier games he can recall against the Yankees in a while, noting that the sellout Fenway Park crowd had a special kind of buzz.

“It felt like the back and forth the last three innings, it was what it used to be here. That’s the way it should be,” Cora said. “That’s the reason we’re here, that’s one of the reasons we decided to stay here, because we love this. Sometimes I get chills because looking around at what’s going on.

“There’s a big difference between what’s going on here right now compared to early in the season, early in the season, with all due respect, it felt like a museum, the Fenway Experience,” he continued. “But now they’re into it, they like the team, they understand who we are and what we’re trying to accomplish.”

Before the late-inning theatrics, things started off encouragingly enough for the Red Sox, who overcame their struggles against left-handed starting pitchers by making Yankees lefty Nestor Cortes’ evening a nightmare. Right from the beginning the Red Sox put pressure on Cortes, who allowed four runs and 13 total baserunners over his 4.2 innings of work.

Boston loaded the bases in the first and took an early 1-0 lead on a Tyler O’Neill sacrifice fly, scored again on a Rafael Devers RBI single in the third, got an RBI double from lefty-killer Rob Refsnyder in the fourth and finally another sacrifice fly from Masataka Yoshida in the fifth.

Despite all that traffic, the Red Sox also let a lot of golden opportunities slip by the wayside. They collectively went 2 for 8 with runners in scoring position and stranded eight men on base through the first five innings, including men at second and third in the bottom of the fifth when reliever Tyler Kahnle struck out Jamie Westbrook to clean up Cortes’ last mess.

Meanwhile, Brayan Bello continued struggling with his command.

Usually dominant against the Yankees, Bello’s pitch count ballooned early and he allowed New York to come from behind and tie the score twice. He allowed a solo home run to Anthony Volpe in the second that knotted the game at 1-1, and in the fifth he allowed three straight hits to start the inning, including an RBI double by Trent Grisham, before serving up a game-tying sacrifice fly to Alex Verdugo.

Bello ultimately went five innings and allowed three runs on five hits and two walks while striking out four. He threw 80 pitches, only 47 for strikes.

Still, the last run against Cortes in the bottom of the fifth put the Red Sox back ahead 4-3, and for a little while it looked like that might be enough.

The Red Sox denied New York a tantalizing scoring opportunity in the sixth when shortstop Ceddanne Rafaela made an incredible throw home on an infield grounder to gun down Austin Wells at the plate. That helped Cam Booser and Josh Winckowski combine for a scoreless inning, but in the bottom of the sixth the Red Sox stranded two more runners, and then all hell broke loose in the top of the seventh.

Brennan Bernardino came on to start and allowed a single, drew a lineout and then walked Juan Soto to put two on with Judge coming to the plate. Alex Cora then summoned the right-hander Kelly to face Judge, who sent the first pitch he saw into the stratosphere for the go-ahead three-run bomb.

Austin Wells added insult to injury moments later with his solo shot to right, which sent O’Neill tumbling over the short wall in right field trying to make the catch. O’Neill was OK, but the damage was done as the Red Sox suddenly found themselves looking up at a 7-4 deficit.

From there, the comeback was on.

Boston answered New York’s haymaker with a big shot of its own in the bottom of the seventh, when Rafaela clobbered a Luke Weaver fastball over the Green Monster for a two-run shot. Then after Bailey Horn kept the Yankees off the board with a scoreless eighth, Rob Refsnyder singled and Connor Wong drew a 10-pitch walk to put two men on with nobody out in the bottom of the frame, bringing Devers to the plate.

Weaver was able to stave off the big hit by getting Devers to fly out to left, but then Yankees manager Aaron Boone summoned his closer Clay Holmes, and the embattled All-Star couldn’t get the job done. Cora pinch hit O’Neill for the rookie Abreu, who delivered with the tying hit, and then Yoshida followed with another big hit to help pull out the win.

“For Alex to give me the opportunity in that moment, it means a lot to me,” Abreu said via translator Carlos Villoria Benítez. “Even more when I was able to come through for the team.”

“Being able to win in a game like this, that’s why I came here,” Yoshida said via translator Yutaro Yamaguchi.

With the win Boston improves to 55-47 and now trails the Yankees (60-45) by just 3.5 games in the AL East standings. The two rivals will face off again on Saturday, with first pitch scheduled for 7:15 p.m.

Originally Published: July 26, 2024 at 10:22 p.m.

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — The fact that Pittsburgh has a shot at getting a WNBA team in the future is getting a lot of reaction around the city.

The Sports and Exhibition Authority is still bouncing the idea around and just approved another step in its game plan.

KDKA-TV hit the streets to ask people if they want to see a WNBA team in Pittsburgh.

“Absolutely, I think the women’s NBA is on a rise. I know this last class happened to be exciting, and not to take anything away from the other players but to have another WNBA team here that’d be fabulous,” said Nick Pasciullo.

“Oh definitely, bring some revenue and some excitement,” said Andrew Tucker.

“Oh yeah, I think it would be great if Pittsburgh added a team because it was just making bigger horizons. And it would be great for women’s basketball,” said Julia Loughman.

“We do need a basketball team, and I think a women’s team would be great,” another woman told KDKA-TV.

The Sports and Exhibition Authority approved up to $40,000 to have a consulting firm look into the idea. The firm will conduct a financial feasibility analysis for securing a WNBA expansion team.

The consulting firm will be completing phase 2 of the study. The firm already evaluated the fan base here. Now, it will look at the cost of operating a team in the city and potential revenues. The findings will be presented to potential owners and the WNBA.

With many eyes on rookie all-stars Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, interest in women’s hoops has been soaring.

“They be hooping, man. They be taking it to the rim. They be doing the damn thing all the time, so WNBA would be good coming here,” Tucker said.

But would it still be a great play if a Pittsburgh team didn’t have a superstar player?

“I feel like not as many people would go. But if it became popular enough, people would come,” Loughman said.

“Doesn’t matter because we get the visiting teams,” Pasciullo said.

While most people said they think it could be a slam dunk for the Steel City, KDKA-TV asked how many games they would attend.

“I’d be a season ticket holder,” Pasciullo said.

“I would probably go once or twice each season with my dad and my family,” Loughman said. 

“I’d go at least go once a week,” Tucker said.

“To be honest, I just watch it on TV,” said Louis Edmonds.

“I think It would be exciting and I would support it. I would go as much as I could,” Micah Paris said.

You might want to ‘Compromise Elsewhere’, Boar’s Head deli meat fans. Numerous grocery store chains are temporarily shutting down their deli departments for a deep-cleaning following a reported multi-state outbreak of listeria.

Big Y has announced that their deli’s will be temporarily closed after Boar’s Head Provisions Co recalled all of their liverwurst product. Boar’s Head has also more of their deli meats that may have been produced on the same production line. According to Big Y, the USDA has recommended a deep-cleaning/sanitization of all surfaces, and to discard any open meats and cheeses in the deli. The other Boar’s Head meats that have been recalled are:

• Virginia Ham – Old Fashioned Ham
• Italian Cappy Style Ham
• Extra Hot Italian Cappy Style Ham
• Bologna
• Beef Salami
• Steakhouse Roasted Bacon Heat & Eat
• Garlic Bologna
• Beef Bologna

All of the Boar’s Head deli meats have sell-by dates of “AUG 10”, and the Heat & Eat Bacon has a sell-by date of “AUG 15”.

Big Y did not offer Boar’s Head deli meats in their Connecticut markets for the longest time, I recall that it’s only been a year or two that I’ve been able to buy my favorite – Boar’s head low-sodium ham, at the Big Y – Torrington and New Milford locations.

Stop & Shop supermarkets around Connecticut will also temporarily close their deli’s for a deep cleaning according to nbcconnecticut.com. The good news is that if your local deli does not carry Boar’s Head deli meat, there should be a pile of clean, shaved beef waiting for you.