The Red Sox’s Streak Is Over, But The Children Have Feasted

There's a Massachusetts–based restaurant chain that offers a free kids meal—https://nesn.com/boston-red-sox/news/kids-eat-free-when-red-sox-win-promotion-historic-streak/a923c519c455e5cd0fbe6131">kid must be present, limit two per party—the day after a Boston Red Sox win.

When the team was scuffling at the bottom of the AL East and manager Alex Cora was https://defector.com/the-red-sox-cant-even-clean-house-with-dignity">fired for a dismal start, it became an easy joke: The children of New England were hungry.

So hungry.

Offensive struggles and one-run losses had turned them into the wee ragamuffins of Oliver Twist.

But around the end of June, after dropping two of three to the lowly Colorado Rockies, something changed: The Red Sox began providing meals.

They https://defector.com/the-yankees-had-a-wretched-weekend-in-boston">swept the New York Yankees in a four-game series in Boston, the finale an invigorating win courtesy of Jarren Duran's walk-off hit, then added one more victory against the Washington Nationals for a nice little five-game streak.

They did drop two games to the Nats, one in which https://defector.com/cade-cavalli-insists-there-was-nothing-racist-about-calling-willson-contreras-boy">Cade Cavalli was a little racist, but from that point on, the Red Sox didn't lose.

From July 3 to the night of July 22 (including the all-star break), Boston won 15 straight, improving their record from 37-48 to 52-48 and putting themselves firmly within the wild card race.

The streak tied a franchise record last accomplished in 1946, back when Ted Williams was having an MVP season.

For the majority of this month, the children of New England have feasted on cheesy flatbreads and chicken tenders—perhaps even a fried shrimp for the more adventurous eaters.

They've gone Augustus Gloop mode.