Clay Buchholz’ strong outing was Wednesday night’s top story, but the Boston Red Sox pitcher still needed some run support to pick up his first win.
Fortunately for Buchholz, the Red Sox’s hottest hitter obliged.
Xander Bogaerts had another excellent night at the plate, going 3-for-4 from the No. 2 spot in the lineup. He got Boston’s offense going with an RBI single in the fifth, scored on David Ortiz’s two-run moonshot in the fifth and drew a walk to reach base in four of his five plate appearances.
The 23-year-old shortstop’s performance in the Red Sox’s 5-2 win at U.S. Cellular Field was the latest in his impressive turnaround. After scuffling out of the gate with a .204 batting average over his first 13 games, Bogaerts has recorded at least one hit in 12 of his last 13 contests. He’s currently riding a six-game hitting streak and has seven base knocks over his last three games, a spree that has bumped his average up to a team-high .321.
Bogaerts’ power numbers have been lacking — he has just one home run and 11 RBIs through 26 games — but he looks comfortable at the plate and is driving the ball to all parts of the field. With sluggers like Ortiz waiting in the wings to drive him in, Bogaerts’ steady stream of hits certainly is nothing to complain about.
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Let’s hit a few other notes from the battle of the Soxes, Round 2:
— Does Ortiz really need to retire?
The 40-year-old slugger continued his strong start to 2016, launching his 509th career home run and going 2-for-5 with three RBIs. He’s hitting .311 this season with six homers and 22 RBIs, which ties him for second in the American League behind Robinson Cano.
— The Red Sox didn’t allow a single hit after the second inning, and they have Mookie Betts to thank in part.
With nobody out in the eight inning, the rightfielder went horizontal to rob White Sox catcher Dioner Navarro of a base hit.
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— Jackie Bradley Jr. injured his right index finger in the third inning when he got spiked by Todd Frazier while diving back to third base on a pickoff attempt. The center fielder stayed in the game after getting his hand wrapped and appeared to be OK.
— Red Sox outfield prospect Andrew Benintendi continues to light it up for High-A Salem. The seventh overall selection in the 2015 Major League Baseball draft ripped a two-run triple to extend his hitting streak to 22 games, one shy of a Salem record. He’s batting at a .376 clip and has 25 RBIs and seven triples in 25 games.
— For the first time this season, Boston got the best of a left-handed starter. The Red Sox entered the night batting just .130 with four runs scored in their three games against lefties, but the team turned things around against Chicago’s Carlos Rodon, touching him for three runs on six hits over six innings.
Chris Young, who has struggled mightily against lefties this season, also got in on the action, ripping a double off southpaw reliever Zach Duke in the eighth inning.
— The Red Sox are back atop the American League East with a 16-11 record, as the Baltimore Orioles dropped to 15-11 after getting blanked by the New York Yankees 7-0.
Thumbnail photo via Mike DiNovo/USA TODAY Sports Images
