Red Sox 'embracing all the adversity' by turning harrowing flight into creative celebration

Yahoo

4 days ago

MINNEAPOLIS — It took about 48 hours, but the Red Sox are finally able to laugh about — and even celebrate — their harrowing flight to Minneapolis on Sunday night.
Two days after the team charter encountered sustained, severe turbulence both before and after an unplanned pit stop in Detroit, players turned the experience into a new on-base celebration at Target Field. Throughout Tuesday's 8-5 win, multiple players, from Ceddanne Rafaela to Wilyer Abreu, celebrated hits by pantomiming a plane with its wings going up and down.
'It popped up mid-game. That was the first time I saw or heard about it,' said shortstop Trevor Story. 'I thought it was amazing. Embracing all the adversity, for sure.
'I put two and two together and thought, 'That's a sick celly.' I like it.'
Boston's charter, which left Logan Airport shortly after Sunday's win over the Dodgers, encountered severe weather in the Midwest that left several members of the traveling party reeling due to motion sickness for more than a day. The plane, which departed Boston around 7:30 p.m. ET, didn't land in Minnesota until around midnight CT (1 am ET). The trip included a quick diversion to Detroit and lasted much longer than its scheduled three hours.
The turbulence was so bad that numerous members of the traveling party vomited repeatedly. Some had soreness from hitting their armrests so hard. Reliever Garrett Whitlock was unavailable to pitch in Monday's series opener because of the lasting effects of the flight and other players arrived at Target Field far below 100% as well.
'It was the worst sustained turbulence I've ever experienced,' said Lucas Giolito, who allowed one run in six innings Tuesday. 'Forty-five minutes straight of left, right, dropping down. At least on a roller coaster, you know when the drop is coming, or you know when you're rolling right or you're rolling left. You can see it. But sitting on a plane, it was like, oh boy. At one point, I kind of flew up out of my seat. I was like, 'OK, it's time to put the seatbelt on.''
Added Story: 'It was awful. It was probably the worst flight I've been on turbulence-wise. I don't get motion sick but it took everything in me not to let it out. The boys were struggling.'
Giolito's locker mate, outfielder Rob Refsnyder, interrupted the pitcher's postgame meeting with the media to jokingly call the flight a 'near-death experience.' But Giolito, who had recently watched the second season of Nathan Fielder's HBO docu-comedy 'The Rehearsal,' which centers on aviation safety, knew better than to worry.
'Randomly, I know enough about aviation that I know commercial airline jets never crash from turbulence,' Giolito said. 'I was cool with it.'
The Red Sox have celebrated hits with various celebrations in recent years, including the 'River Monster' in 2024. On Tuesday, members of the team picked up on it at various points. Some first noticed when Ceddanne Rafaela ripped a one-out triple in the third. Others saw Jarren Duran do it when he launched a 446-foot homer in the fifth. Wilyer Abreu was caught by cameras celebrating in that fashion after an RBI double in the ninth. The exact origin remains under wraps.
What's less of a secret is that Boston's offense was clicking Tuesday night against rookie Pierson Ohl and a parade of Twins relievers. Story launched his first homer in three weeks to give the Sox a four-run lead in the third. Two more runs allowed some breathing room in the ninth. And Duran, hitting third for the third straight game with rookie Roman Anthony assuming the leadoff role, reached base three times, hitting the ball hard all over the field.
'He's such a catalyst for our offense, man. He brings a spark,' said Story. 'He can do it a lot of different ways. When he's slugging like that, it's a different ballgame. He changes our team big-time. We know that's in there and it's fun to watch.'
The Sox, who have played an endless string of close games since the All-Star break, jumped out to an early 5-0 lead for Giolito and added on despite Minnesota twice getting within three runs thanks to homers by Brooks Lee.
'We feel like we've been playing behind a little bit,' Story said. 'Offense hasn't really gotten going early as of late. The pitchers have done a good job of keeping us in the game. It was nice to get guys on base and cash them in this time. That's who we feel like we are.'
With every player close to feeling 100% two days after the wayward flight, the Red Sox were able to look back at it as a bonding experience. They'll continue to roll with the punches — or bumps, as it were.
'Those types of things bring people closer. That's for sure,' Giolito said. 'It's kind of like battling through adversity. We had a couple guys really get it bad with the motion sickness.
'Coming out of it, we've tied the series and we're looking to win tomorrow.'
More Red Sox coverage
Red Sox 'have seen flashes' from starter acquired in Rafael Devers trade
Red Sox' Kristian Campbell homers again, demotion 'reminds' him of past adversity
Don't let the numbers fool you - Red Sox need bullpen help | Sean McAdam
Red Sox reactions: Trevor Story lets Boston breathe with homer in bounce-back win
Red Sox trade deadline: What we're hearing with two days to go
Read the original article on MassLive.