The Boston Red Sox defeated the Monterrey Sultanes 10-1 in an exhibition game held at the Mobil Super Stadium in Monterrey, Mexico.
This game marked the first time the Red Sox played a warm-up game on Mexican soil, attracting 21,806 fans to witness this historic matchup, according to Efe.
A historic visit
Boston’s starting pitcher, Richard Fitts, had an outstanding performance as he pitched six complete innings, limiting the Sultans’ offense and setting the stage for his team’s victory.
On offense, Mexico’s Marcelo Mayer shined by driving in five runs, including a home run in the seventh inning that unleashed euphoria in the crowd.
For the Sultanes, starter Luis Cessa faced difficulties from the start, being relieved in the second inning after giving up two bases on balls and allowing a double by Mayer that drove in the first two runs of the game.
Reliever Zach Leban was also unable to contain the Boston offense, allowing the lead to be extended to 3-0 on a sacrifice fly by Alex Bregman.
Total domination by the Red Sox
The Red Sox offense continued its dominance in the following innings.
In the third inning, hits by Rob Refsnyder and Roman Anthony were followed by a Kristian Campbell hit to make the score 5-0.
The Sultanes got their only run in the fourth inning when Ramiro Peña hit a single and, taking advantage of a defensive error, advanced to third base to score on a deep fly ball by Esteban Quiroz.
In the fifth inning, David Hamilton opened with a triple and was towed in by a sacrifice fly from Connor Wong, making the score 6-1.
Mayer’s aforementioned home run in the seventh inning increased the lead to 7-1.
Boston added two more runs in the eighth and ninth innings, respectively, sealing the victory with a resounding 10-1 victory.
Preparation for both teams
This match not only served as preparation for both teams for their respective seasons, but also allowed Mexican fans to enjoy the emerging talent of players such as Marcelo Mayer.
Born in Chula Vista, California, but of Mexican descent, Mayer has been considered one of the Red Sox’ top prospects since his selection in the 2021 draft.
His outstanding performance in this game reinforces expectations about his imminent Major League debut.
The second and final match of this exhibition series will take place on Tuesday, March 25, at 5:00 pm local time, at the same venue.
According to MLB‘s official website, another large influx of fans is expected to attend the closing of this historic series between the Sultanes de Monterrey and the Boston Red Sox.
A little context: MLB in Mexico
Prior to this 2025, MLB had already hosted seven regular season game series in Mexico:
Padres vs. Mets – Monterrey, 1996
Padres vs. Rockies – Monterrey, 1999
Dodgers vs. Padres – Monterrey, 2018
Cardinals vs. Reds – Monterrey, 2019
Astros vs. Angels – Monterrey, 2019
Padres vs. Giants – CDMX, 2023
Astros vs. Rockies – CDMX, 2024
Exhibition games have also been played, such as Yankees vs. Red Devils in 2024.
But this year is different: this is one of the most iconic teams in MLB, with one of the largest fan bases in the world.
This visit marks the first time the Red Sox have played on Mexican soil
QueOnnda.com
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