Another solid outing from Sonny Gray along with a two-run home run from Willson Contreras and other offensive contributions helped the Boston Red Sox match their second-longest win streak in franchise history on Sunday afternoon.

Boston has won 13 consecutive games

The Red Sox 6-1 win on Sunday afternoon against the Tampa Bay Rays was their 13th straight. It is the first time since 1948 that Boston has won 13 straight games, the second longest win streak in team history.

Boston has also completed series sweeps in each of its last four series, the first time that's happened since the 2006 season. It has been an improbable turnaround for what just three weeks ago, was playing like one of the worst teams in all of baseball.

The Red Sox have become serious playoff contenders

Not only has the recent win streak catapulted the Red Sox back over a .500 record but it's also put them in the third and final AL wild-card spot.

No matter the result of the afternoon games on Sunday, Boston will enter Monday in sole possession of that wild-card spot, as well as being just six games behind the Rays for first place in the AL East.

Once sellers, now buyers

On June 24 when the Red Sox were 32-46, it was evident that the aforementioned Gray and Contreras could be among several players shipped out ahead of the trade deadline.

Now, just under a month later, Boston is in a position to make moves to improve its roster, rather than push its focus toward next season.

For the Red Sox, the franchise best win streak is 15 games. Boston is set to welcome in the Baltimore Orioles for a three-game series beginning on Monday that could ultimately lead to a new franchise record of 16 consecutive wins if another sweep is completed.