Cordero’s grand slam helps Red Sox beat Mariners 8-4, completes sweep

The Boston Red Sox sealed an 8-4 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Sunday, thanks to outfielder Franchy Cordero’s walk-off slam with two outs in the bottom of the 10th innings.

Boston marked its first extra-inning win after failing in its first six attempts as well as its four-game sweeps-which is unusual in Major League Baseball (MLB).

Boston’s stellar performance

It is also the first Red Sox’s four-game sweep against the same opponent since 2003.

“Yeah, super excited to see the boys jumping around and excited and happy. I’m super happy for this moment,” Cordero said.

The 27-year-old Cordero—whose transfer to Fenway Park last February did not go as expected—showed an offensive improvement that thrilled Red Sox Nation and of course, the manager Alex Cora.

“There’s a lot of guys in that clubhouse who are very happy,” manager Alex Cora said, adding that the left fielder “very quietly, brings a lot of joy to the team and the energy.”

Cordero was in Triple-A by May with .179 OPS with a single homer in 34 games.

He then joined the majors late in the summer.

However, his statistics did not reflect his best with a .189 OPS and .497 OPS that year.

The Red Sox excluded Cordero due to the team’s urgent need for a rooster despite the player’s $825,000 deal.

Cora admitted Cordero’s toughest time last year and praised how much the former Kansas Royals outfielder has improved.

https://twitter.com/FanSided/status/1528482159874301952

“Last year wasn’t great. We designated him for assignment but we were happy that he was back with us. From the Dominican Republic to spring training, you can see it. He’s doing an outstanding job controlling the zone. We’re very proud of him,” Cora stated.

Cordero once did not have anything to prove before his 10th inning, hitting four balls faster than 95.6 mph but then reaching 0-for-4 before his home run.

His teammates mobbed him and showered him with Gatorade not because of his achievement, but also because of his pleasant personality.

Fellow teammate Nathan Eovaldi also praised the Dominican international’s batting performance.

“He’s had quality at-bats, whether it’s been walks or he’s getting big hits. Everyone is a fan of his,” Eovaldi said post-game.

Did someone order a walk-off with side of Franch? pic.twitter.com/wm5r2oeJn9

— Red Sox (@RedSox) May 22, 2022

A series of injuries hampered Cordero’s potential during his time with the San Diego Padres before finally moving to Kansas City and then to the Boston Red Sox.

Cordero was on the COVID-19-related injured list from February 22 to March 30 last year.

As his walk-off slam made him an unexpected hero against Seattle Mariners, Red Sox Nation will look forward to watching his action again.

Statcast estimated Cordero’s drive with an exit velocity of 106.1 mph and an estimated distance reaching 419 feet—landed.

The Red Sox’s historic wining was not only about Cordero but also about his other teammates such as Trevor Story–whose blast took Boston to lead 4-3.

The shot was Story’s fifth in four games and seventh of the season.

Previously, the 29-year-old Story had 4 hits, 3 homers, and 7 RBIs when his team beat Seattle last Thursday night.

The Red Sox will travel to Chicago to face the White Sox in a three-game series from Wednesday to Friday.