Ha Ji-won's lucky pitch? Red Sox match 80-year-old 15-game winning streak
After Ha Ji-won’s ceremonial first pitch at Fenway Park, Boston matched its eight-decade-old club record before the run ended later in the doubleheader.
Korean actor Ha Ji-won delivers the ceremonial first pitch prior to the first baseball game of a doubleheader between the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles in Boston, on July 22.AP/YONHAP
The Boston Red Sox matched an 80-year-old team record by securing a 15th straight victory on Wednesday, and Korean actor Ha Ji-won, who threw the ceremonial first pitch before the game, was quickly dubbed the team's new "good luck charm."
The Red Sox defeated the Baltimore Orioles 6-3 in the first game of a doubleheader at Fenway Park in Boston to extend its winning streak to an impressive 15 games.
The streak matched the longest in Red Sox history, which was originally set in 1946 when Hall of Famer Ted Williams starred for the club.
The MLB record remains 22 consecutive wins, which was set by the team now known as the Cleveland Guardians in 2017.
The Red Sox’s bid to set a new franchise record ended in the second game of the doubleheader with a 5-1 loss to the Orioles. Even so, the 15-game run has transformed what had appeared to be a disappointing 2026 season for the Red Sox into one of baseball's biggest turnaround stories.
The Red Sox struggled through the first half of the season in the American League East, home to perennial contenders such as the New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays.
The Red Sox opened the season with five straight losses and were swept by the Yankees in its first three-game series. After falling to 10-17 through its first 27 games, the Red Sox parted way with its manager Alex Cora, who led the club to the 2018 World Series title, on April 25. It marked the team’s first in-season managerial change in 25 years.
Boston Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela, right, is congratulated by Wilyer Abreu after hitting a solo home run in the fourth inning during the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles in Boston, on July 22.AP/YONHAP
Interim manager Chad Tracy, who had managed the club's Triple-A affiliate, initially struggled to reverse the team's fortunes. The Red Sox dropped to last place in the division on June 24 and fell to 37 wins and 48 losses on July 1. It sat 14.5 games behind first-place Rays and 10.5 games behind the second-place Yankees.
Everything changed on July 3 with a 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.
Boston climbed to fourth place with a four-game winning streak on July 7. Four days later, an eighth straight victory moved the Red Sox past the Blue Jays into third place. By July 18, the winning streak had reached 12 games to cut the gap behind the Yankees to 4.5 games.
Boston Red Sox's Willson Contreras, left, tags Baltimore Orioles' Leody Taveras, center, on a ground out, while starting pitcher Jake Bennett follows the play in the sixth inning during the first baseball game of a doubleheader in Boston, on July 22.AP/YONHAP
The surge has also reshaped the American League Wild Card race.
At 52-49, Boston now owns a better record than the Seattle Mariners, who are second in the American League West at 51-52. The Red Sox currently hold the league's third and final wild-card spot behind the Yankees at 57-45 and the Guardians at 54-49. Holding that position through the end of the season would secure a playoff berth.
There is also an intriguing family connection behind the turnaround.
Former Colorado Rockies manager Jim Tracy, who is also the current interim manager Chad Tracy's father, guided the Rockies to the postseason after taking over the club midseason in 2009. Local media have drawn comparisons between the two turnaround stories.
Boston Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela is congratulated after his solo home run in the fourth inning during the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles in Boston, on July 22.AP/YONHAP
On the celebratory day, actor Ha made history as the first Korean actor to throw the ceremonial first pitch at Fenway Park before the first game of the doubleheader.
The actor’s pitch was part of MLB's efforts to expand its global fan base by connecting sports and entertainment. Former major leaguer Kim Byung-hyun, who previously played for the Red Sox, helped coach Ha for the ceremonial pitch and joined her on the field as the ceremonial catcher.
"I prepared hard because I had the opportunity to throw the first pitch as the first Korean actor at such a historic ballpark," Ha said. "I'm relieved and proud that everything went well. It was also an honor to watch an MLB game in person."
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
