BOSTON — The Red Sox’s offense took the night off Friday, scoring only two runs after back-to-back 11-run outputs. The respite was brief.
The Red Sox banged out 16 hits Saturday en route to a 10-4 win over the New York Yankees at Fenway Park. Boston scored eight runs in the second inning — a single-inning season high — while sending 14 men to the plate.
This weekend obviously continues to be about Derek Jeter’s final hurrah. It’s encouraging from a Red Sox standpoint, however, to see the club finish its tumultuous season on a positive note.
Let’s assess Saturday’s victory.
— Jeter batted second and served as the Yankees’ designated hitter. He went 1-for-2, collecting a third-inning single on a high chopper over the mound.
The Fenway Faithful again chanted Jeter’s name throughout the contest. The Yankees captain was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the fifth inning, drawing a chorus of boos.
— Boston went 10-for-19 (.526) with runners in scoring position.
Red Sox manager John Farrell deployed six rookies in the batting order for the fourth consecutive game. The group combined to went 10-for-23 (.435) with four doubles, three RBIs and seven runs scored.
— The Red Sox have scored 10 or more runs eight times this season. Three of those performances have come in the last four games.
— Yoenis Cespedes reached the 100-RBI mark for the first time in his career.
Cespedes is one of only 12 players — nine in the American League — with 100 RBIs to this point. His previous career-high for RBIs was 82 in 2012. The 28-year-old is in his third major league season.
— Rusney Castillo already is looking like a five-tool threat.
Castillo went 3-for-3 with three singles, an RBI, a run scored, a stolen base and a walk. It was the first time in nine games with Boston he produced three hits and/or reached base four times. The effort marked Castillo’s third straight multi-hit game, and he now has reached base safely in eight of his nine contests.
Castillo showed a good two-strike approach in the second inning, going the other way for a single off Preston Claiborne. His game-changing prowess was on display earlier in the lengthy frame when he swiped second base after walking on four pitches.
Castillo is hitting .333 (11-for-33) with two homers, six RBIs, three steals and a .934 OPS since joining the Red Sox. He has shown power, an ability to hit for average, very good range, a solid arm and above-average speed in his brief stint.
— Garin Cecchini went 2-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored. It was the first multi-hit game of his career.
— Joe Kelly again was excellent.
Kelly was charged with four runs on nine hits over a career-high 7 1/3 innings. He struck out three, walked two and threw 97 pitches (65 strikes). The right-hander was far better than the box score indicates, though, as he held the Yankees scoreless for the first six innings.
Kelly finished the year with a 4.12 ERA in 10 starts with Boston. The Red Sox can feel good about slotting him into their 2015 rotation.
— Rubby De La Rosa appeared out of the bullpen.
He escaped an eighth-inning jam and stuck around for the ninth. De La Rosa allowed two hits and struck out four over 1 2/3 innings.
Photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
