Alex Cora Delivers Managerial Masterclass In Must-Win Game For Red Sox

Seven years after guiding the Boston Red Sox to a World Series title, Alex Cora is still one of the best managers in baseball.

He proved that during the Red Sox’s tense 5-4 extra-innings win over the Athletics at Fenway Park on Wednesday night — a game Boston absolutely had to have.

With the Cleveland Guardians beating the Detroit Tigers 4-0 for their sixth straight win, the Red Sox needed to beat the A’s to maintain their 2.5-game lead for the third Wild Card spot. A loss would slice their lead to 1.5 games (and just one in the loss column) with 10 to play.

On a night where Lucas Giolito (four runs, five walks in 4 1/3 innings) didn’t have his best stuff and Boston stranded a small army of baserunners (13 left on base, 3-for-17 with runners in scoring position), Cora pushed all the right buttons, making the difference in a one-run game.

Alex Cora took a chance pinch-hitting Nick Sogard for Ceddanne Rafaela and it was paid off as Sogard's fielder's choice brings home Nate Eaton and gets the Red Sox a much-needed win over the A's 5-4 in 10 innings.

© Eric Canha-Imagn Images pic.twitter.com/KYnapgetpR

— WEEI Red Sox Network (@SoxBooth) September 18, 2025

With Giolito lasting just 4 1/3 innings, Cora shined with his bullpen management, using seven different relievers. They weren’t charged with any earned runs, allowing just five hits (all singles) and one walk with seven strikeouts over the final 5 2/3 innings.

Cora managed aggressively, using Garrett Whitlock and Aroldis Chapman for seven outs in a tied game to force extra innings. After Zack Kelly got the first two outs of the 10th, he summoned lefty Chris Murphy to face star rookie Nick Kurtz with runners on the corners. Murphy won the battle, fanning Kurtz to keep the A’s off the board.

Cora also replaced Rob Refsnyder with Nate Eaton in right field to start the 10th, guaranteeing that Eaton would start the bottom of the frame at second base as the automatic runner. The substitution paid off when Eaton raced home with the winning run on Nick Sogard’s (pinch-hitting for Ceddanne Rafaela) grounder to second base, giving the Red Sox a much-needed victory.

Boston will go for the series win on Wednesday afternoon behind Brayan Bello (11-7, 3.25 ERA), who can hopefully give Cora some length with the bullpen running on fumes.