Remember when the Boston Red Sox were blown out 21-2 on Saturday against the Los Angeles Angels? Well, Boston’s been the team with the hot bats ever since.
The Red Sox came right back Sunday and hit double digits in their series finale win over the Angels, and they did more of the same Monday against the Texas Rangers.
After spotting the Rangers four runs in the top of the first, Boston responded with nine straight en route to a 12-5 victory over the team with the best record in the American League.
“Yeah, I mean it’s the first inning,” Betts said of the early deficit on NESN’s “Red Sox Final.” “We come back from through the whole game, so I feel like you got to play a full nine innings to beat us.”
Mookie Betts was a big reason why the Red Sox came back thanks to his 2-for-5 day at the plate, and he eventually put the game away with his 18th home run of the season in the eighth inning. He also was one of five Red Sox with two RBIs on Monday, along with Dustin Pedroia, Travis Shaw, Brock Holt and Jackie Bradley Jr.
Let’s take a look at a few other notes from Independence Day.
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— It looked like Rick Porcello and Boston were in for a long afternoon at Fenway Park after he allowed four first-inning runs. However, he rebounded nicely and came away with his 10th win of the season.
Porcello allowed 12 hits and four runs, three of which were earned, with three strikeouts over six innings.
— Red Sox manager John Farrell told reporters after the game that Clay Buchholz is heading back to the bullpen after his rough start against the Angels. That means Sean O’Sullivan, who made the most of his opportunity in a win Sunday, will get the start Friday at Fenway Park against the Tampa Bay Rays.
— Sandy Leon might just be the hottest hitter in Major League Baseball right now. Leon had four more hits Monday, lifting his already impressive batting average to .500.
The catcher also doesn’t have any options remaining, so instead of sending him to Triple-A Pawtucket to make room for the returning Ryan Hanigan, the Red Sox opted to send Christian Vazquez to the PawSox.
“I think players are understanding of what goes on around them, I think they’re fairly aware,” Farrell told reporters, via WEEI.com. “In Sandy’s case, where he’s out of options — at that position, you’re always a foul tip away from needing another guy. From the performance of Sandy in combination with the organizational depth, we felt like this was the move we needed to make.”
Thumbnail photo via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images
