BOSTON — David Ortiz already hit his 500 career home runs, but he’s not done putting his name in the record books.
The Red Sox designated hitter went 3-for-4 in Boston’s 7-0 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Friday, smacking three doubles and contributing three RBIs and a run scored. That stat line had an effect on Major League Baseball history, too.
Ortiz now has 581 doubles in his career, a number that helped him leapfrog Wade Boggs and Albert Pujols to take the 19th spot on the all-time list in one night. Big Papi passed “Mr. Cub” Ernie Banks for No. 30 on the all-time RBI list with 1,637, too.
As if that weren’t enough, Ortiz also is No. 19 in extra-base hits, passing former O’s star Eddie Murray with 1,101. He needs just 17 more to pass Jimmie Foxx and Ted Williams.
Let’s take a look at some more notes from Friday’s win.
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— Between Rich Hill’s complete game shutout and Mookie Betts’ spectacular game-ending catch, there were plenty of plays to talk about in this game. But none were stranger than David Ortiz’s two-run double, which brought in Dustin Pedroia with Xander Bogaerts on the second baseman’s heels.
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“He’s running ’til they tackle him,” Pedroia said of Bogaerts. “That’s basically it. It’s good, aggressive. I like it.”
— Bogaerts’ aggressive baserunning Friday wasn’t the first time we’ve seen guys taking risks in the base paths this season, either. In fact, third base coach Brian Butterfield said that’s something he’s been noticing a lot of lately.
“I think that over the last month, month-and-a-half our baserunning’s been aboveboard,” Butterfield said. “Guys are fearless. A lot of the young guys on dirt-ball reads pushing the envelope, going two bases, really being engaged and working hard and giving good effort. It’s been outstanding. It’s been fun to watch.”
— Betts went 0-for-3, but a third-inning walk extended his on-base streak to 28 games. It’s the longest streak by a Red Sox since Mike Napoli’s 33-game stretch from April 4 through May 14 of last season.
— There’s nearly no chance Clay Buchholz starts again this season, but you might see him pitch an inning out of the bullpen in the near future. He tossed 20 pitches with the catcher in front of the plate before Friday’s game, and the results were good.
“He felt great,” acting manager Torey Lovullo said. “The reports were that there was a lot of energy, a lot of intensity. He was finishing his pitches. The conversation I had with Clay afterward, he was very encouraged. He was pain-free, and those are the things we’re looking for.”
— Speaking of the bullpen, Saturday will be a bullpen day for the Red Sox, with Craig Breslow getting the start.
“(Breslow) was joking around with me today, he said he’ll throw as long as he can until he gives up a run.” Lovullo said before Friday’s game. “ … So I said, ‘What happens if the leadoff hitter hits a home run? Are you out of the game?’ He said, ‘Well I was thinking more along the lines of seven innings with one run.’”
For the record, Lovullo said he expects to limit Breslow to 40 pitches.
— Lovullo also said the Red Sox will trot out “four known starters” for their upcoming series against the Yankees in New York “out of respect to the pennant race.”
Thumbnail photo via Mark L. Baer/USA TODAY Sports Images
