Andrew Benintendi had a strong day at the plate Saturday afternoon.
The left fielder went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and scored two runs in the Boston Red Sox’s 8-6 win over the Atlanta Braves at Fenway Park.
In his last 13 games, Benintendi is batting .396 with two doubles, four home runs, 15 RBIs and 10 runs scored. So, what had him so locked in Saturday?
“It was just one of those days,” he told Guerin Austin after the game, as seen on NESN’s Red Sox postgame coverage.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora said he and the left fielder talked before the game because Benintendi “didn’t feel right.” The talk seemed to help, judging from the numbers the 23-year-old produced in the victory.
“As long as he stays in the zone he’s fine. The swing is right there. We’re very confident (in him),” Cora said after the game.
Here are other notes from Saturday’s Red Sox-Braves game:
— Dustin Pedroia made his 2018 debut, going 0-for-4 but drew a walk and scored a run. He was warmly welcomed by the Fenway Faithful in his first at-bat.
Cora was encouraged by the second baseman’s speed on the basepath.
“He looked fast,” Cora said after the game. “The way he moved, that was good to see. It’s fun having him around.”
The manager wasn’t the only one excited to have Pedey back in the lineup.
“Just his presence in the clubhouse brings a lot of energy,” Benintendi said after the game.
Pedroia was all smiles after the game, telling reporters he was happy to be back.
“It’s been a long time,” he said. “I felt good all day.”
— Drew Pomeranz failed to get out of the fourth inning Saturday, and the lefty has struggled all season with his command. But Cora said the southpaw will make his next start as scheduled.
“It wasn’t a great day for him but we trust this guy,” Cora said after the game. “He was in the same spot last year and all of a sudden he turned it around … He was great last year, you gotta trust the process. Obviously we want the work to translate into the game, (but) it hasn’t happened yet.”
Pomeranz said after his last start he believed he found something he needed to work on in order to improve. But after Saturday’s outing, he knows he needs to get back on track.
“Right now, I don’t feel like the same guy I was last year,” he said after the game. “Every time I throw a pitch it’s not going where its supposed to. I feel like nothing’s good.”
— The Red Sox now are 20 games above .500 — something they didn’t accomplish until August of last season.
— Boston had to play from behind twice in Saturday’s game after coming back from a 2-0 deficit in Friday’s win.
