BOSTON — Cardinals catcher-turned-DH-soon-to-be-turned-catcher-again Willson Contreras has demonstrated a knack for getting under the skin and inside the heads of opposing fans and players. His spell has a particularly potent effect on pitchers.
Earlier this season Contreras’ “mind games” with Madison Bumgarner prompted a minor meltdown inning from the battled-tested left-hander with a dazzling postseason record. The Diamondbacks released Bumgarner shortly thereafter and that inning, for now, stands as his last inning in the majors.
Saturday, as Contreras marked his 31st birthday, his hex landed on Boston Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen during a pivotal inning as the Cardinals rallied and scored three ninth-inning runs for their second consecutive come-from-behind win as they beat the Red Sox 4-3 in the second game of their three-game set in front of a sellout crowd at Fenway Park.