Casas Delivers Walk-Off Hit in Red Sox’s Thrilling Victory

BOSTON — Triston Casas broke through his early-season struggles on Saturday with a thrilling walk-off hit, leading the Boston Red Sox to a 4-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox in a dramatic game at Fenway Park.

With the bases loaded and the score tied in the bottom of the 10th inning, Casas stepped to the plate, hoping to find his rhythm after beginning the season with a dismal .172 batting average. After dropping to the seventh spot in the lineup under Red Sox manager Alex Cora, Casas collided with a pitch for a fly ball that scraped off the left-field wall, scoring Alex Verdugo and earning him his first career walk-off hit.

“They made a mistake and I was able to capitalize; it felt good,” Casas said post-game. “Just to get the win was the best feeling.”

The victory not only marked a turning point for Casas but also helped the Red Sox avoid losing three of their last eight games to the White Sox. The Red Sox had previously dropped two of three games in Chicago the weekend before. With this victory, they have now taken the first two games in the current four-game set.

Throughout the early season, Boston’s offense has faced inconsistencies, frequently mirroring Casas’ difficulties at the plate. Before Saturday, he had managed just five walks against 18 strikeouts and only four extra-base hits. His walk rate sat at a concerning 7.1%, significantly lower than his career average of 13.6%. Casas expressed that batting lower in the lineup has actually allowed him to observe pitchers more closely.

“I get six batters to see how the guys are working,” he explained. “I get to look at the characteristics of the fastball or whatever pitches I’m hunting.”

Cora remains optimistic that after hitting the walk-off, Casas may find his stride. “Hopefully,” he said. “He’s been swinging the bat well, more aggressive, more conviction. He took a walk today, and that’s important. In that situation in the 10th, just put the ball in play. He did a good job staying with the pitch and we got the W.”

The Red Sox’s triumph was supplemented by a strong performance from starting pitcher Garrett Crochet, who threw six scoreless innings, allowing only four hits while striking out seven. Although Crochet admitted he did not feel completely satisfied with his performance, he was relieved to keep the White Sox off the scoreboard.

“The stuff was good, but erratic,” Cora noted. “Some deep counts, some two-strikes hits, but on a night that he was ‘OK’, that’s what we get.”

Crochet also recognized the need for improvement, commenting, “It feels good, but I kind of feel like I’m getting away with murder. It’s only a matter of time until I get caught. I feel like the way that I’m throwing the ball isn’t up to my par.” Despite his concerns, Crochet lowered his ERA to 1.13 and his WHIP to 0.90.

Although the Red Sox nearly squandered Crochet’s solid outing due to a late-game lapse, the bullpen of Justin Slaten, Aroldis Chapman, and Garrett Whitlock effectively held the White Sox intact. The team has now secured three walk-off wins in their 12 victories this season, showcasing resilience despite playing on the edge.

Crochet believes the team is starting to find its groove, especially in front of home crowds. “There’s a lot of guys who are new this year and have never called this place their home ballpark and are starting to really click with the atmosphere, which is really cool to see,” he said. “We’re just meshing as a group right now and really starting to come together and win close ballgames.”