Red Sox responses: Alex Bregman sets brand-new profession high, going
TAMPA– Instant responses from the Red Sox’ 7-4 win over the Rays on Tuesday here at George M. Steinbrenner Field.1) Alex Bregman had a big game. He went 5-for-5 with two homers and four RBIs. He set a brand-new career-high for hits in a game. His previous high– 4 hits– he did 10 times.The right-handed hitter raised a 366-foot home run to right-center field in the third inning, putting the Red Sox ahead 4-1. He did it once again in the seventh inning with a 403-foot blast the opposite way.Bregman had an RBI single in the very first inning to
make it 1-0 and an RBI double in the fourth to make it 6-1.2 )Jarren Duran– who led all Red Sox hitters in extra-base
hits with 83 in 2015– finally linked for his first home run this season. Manager Alex Cora stated Monday that he wanted to see Duran start to hit the ball to left-center field once again like he had actually done on the very first road trip. Duran did just that with his 388-foot, 101.8 miles per hour two-run blast in the 2nd inning. It put Boston ahead 3-0. Duran connected on a 96.6 mph four-seam fastball from Rays right-handed starter Ryan Pepiot.3)Ceddanne Rafaela hasn’t done much with the bat this season however he went into with two defensive runs saved in 123 1/3 innings in center field.
He contributed both ways in this one. His RBI single (105 miles per hour off the bat )put Boston ahead 5-1 in the third inning.His diving catch on Jake Mangum’s 259-foot line drive to center field with two males on base ended the fourth inning and kept the score at 6-2.4)The offense finally awakened with 12 hits.
Everyone in the beginning lineup but Wilyer Abreu and Kristian Campbell had at least one hit. Abreu did reach base when on a walk. 5) It was the very first game
of Kristian Campbell’s MLB career that he didn’t reach base. He had actually gone 17 straight games reaching base, the second longest on-base streak to begin a profession in Red Sox history behind only George
Scott( 26 straight games in 1966).6 )Beginner Walker Buehler tossed 5 innings and permitted two runs, three hits and 3 strolls while starting out three. He tossed 89 pitches, 53 for strikes. His 22 fastballs averaged 94.1 mph and he topped out at 95.7 miles per hour. He blended in 19 cutters, 15 sinkers, 14 knuckle-curveballs, 11 changeups and eight sweepers, per Statcast.7 )The Red Sox and Rays will play the rubber game of their three-game series here Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. Boston will start lefty Sean Newcomb (0-2, 4.97 ERA). Zack Littell(1-1, 6.88 PERIOD ), who pitched in 2 games for Boston in 2023, will start for the Rays.