Red Sox - 412 000 120 - 10 15 0 Blue Jays - 010 001 103 - 6 8 0Rafael Devers went 4-for-5, with two home runs, and six RBI as the Red Sox, back in North America, won handily behind David Price (6-4-2-4-7, 93). The Yankees' invincible bullpen blew a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the eighth and lost to the Mets 4-2, so Boston picked up a game in the standings.
Blue Jays starter Trent Thornton (2.2-11-7-1-1, 64) found himself trailing 2-0 after throwing only three pitches. Mookie Betts singled on an 0-1 cutter and Devers crushed a first-pitch fastball into the second deck in right-center (419 feet). Xander Bogaerts doubled and scored on Christian Vázquez's ground-rule double to right two outs later. Jackie Bradley singled Vázquez home for a 4-0 lead.
In the second, Betts singled, stole second, went to third on Devers's single, and scored on Bogaerts's force out. Devers drove in two more runs in the third. Vázquez singled and Bradley doubled to start the inning. With two outs, Betts walked and Devers's hard grounder into right gave the Red Sox a 7-1 lead.
The Red Sox put seven balls in play in the first three innings with exit velocities of 100 mph or more, the hardest hit being Devers's third inning single (113.7).
Boston went in order in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings, but Vázquez hit a solo dong (438 feet) to left with two outs in the seventh. Mookie walked with two outs in the eighth and Devers hit his 14th homer of the year to left-center.
The six RBI tied Devers's career-high, first done in the first game of a doubleheader against the Orioles on September 26, 2018 (a 19-3 win). In that game, Devers also went 4-for-5, with two homers. Price started that game, too.
Trevor Kelley made his major league debut in the ninth. He got the first out, but then gave up a single, walk, and two-run double (to Vladimir Guerrero Jr.). After a wild pitch, Kelley allowed a sac fly before getting Justin Smoak looking at strike three to end the game.
AL East: Mets 4, MFY 2. Rays 6, Orioles 3. ... MFY –, TBR 5.5, BOS 10.0.
Maybe not ...
Betts, RFRoster Activity:
Devers, 3B
Bogaerts, SS
Martinez, DH
Benintendi, LF
Vázquez, C
Bradley, CF
Chavis, 1B
Holt, 2B
* Steve Pearce finished rehab assignment, activated by Red SoxJayson Stark, Twitter:
* Pitcher Trevor Kelley called up (#71)
* Catcher Oscar Hernandez DFA (opening up a spot for Kelley on the 40-man)
* Mike Shawaryn and Sam Travis optioned to AAA
* Tzu-Wei Lin finished rehab assignment, optioned to AAA
Runs allowed by Red Sox bullpen in London (2 games): 22Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs - recently married and 12 days away from his 28th birthday - died on Monday afternoon. The Southlake Police Department found his body in his Texas hotel room. They said there was no indication of foul play and suicide is "not suspected". Skaggs pitched for seven seasons, breaking in with the Diamondbacks and spending five seasons with the Angels.
Runs allowed by Red Sox bullpen in 2018 postseason (14 games): 21
AL East: MFY/Stems, Orioles/Rays, 7 PM. ... MFY –, TBR 6.5, BOS 11.0.
The Red Sox have scored 7+ runs and recorded 15+ hits in each of their last 3 games (0-3).
ReplyDeleteThe Red Sox have scored 6+ runs and recorded 10+ hits in each of their last 5 games (2-3).
The Red Sox have at least 1 XBH in each of their last 98 games (beginning 9/15/18), MLB's longest active streak.
CONSECUTIVE GAMES WITH AN XBH, RED SOX HISTORY
1. 164 -- 5/3/2004-5/3/2005
2. 117 -- 6/7/1998-4/21/1999
3. 106 -- 9/4/2001-7/2/2002
4. 98 --- 9/15/2018-present
The Red Sox lost both London games to the Yankees by a combined 29-21, the most runs scored over a 2-game span in the history of the rivalry (source: Elias).
The games in London lasted 4:42 on Saturday and 4:24 on Sunday, the 2 longest 9-inning games in MLB this season. Saturday's was the 3rd-longest 9-inning game in MLB history.
Rafael Devers
In his last 5 games, he is 11-for-22 with 7 doubles, 8 runs scored, and 1 strikeout.
In 57 games since 4/24, he has hit .340 with 12 HR, 47 RBI, and a .964 OPS (82-for-241).
In that time, he shares the AL lead in XBH (34) and ranks 2nd in AVG, SLG (.589), RBI, hits, and doubles (20).
Among AL 3rd basemen, he ranks 1st in AVG (.322), hits (103), runs (62), and doubles (25).
And he will watch the All-Star Game at home.