BOSTON — After Wednesday’s walk-off win , Red Sox manager Alex Cora noted that a good friend of his told him, rightfully, that Septembers for contending big league teams are a time of suffering. In October, Cora surmised, it’s all about winning head-to-head matchups and moving on. But in the final month of the regular season, it’s time for scoreboard watching in hopes that the chips fall the right way after Game 162.

Thursday, then, was an afternoon of real suffering for the Red Sox, who lost to the Athletics and watched as the Guardians and Mariners both won to tighten the standings in the American League race. As Boston flies to Tampa to begin the final road trip of its season Thursday night, the club’s lead over Cleveland in the wild card standings is just 1 ½ games . That’s the ti

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