Boston Red Sox star third baseman Rafael Devers presented his case Tuesday as to why he didn't need a rehab assignment after a short stint on the injured list.
Devers' argument sure was convincing in his first game back.
Devers drove in both runs in Boston's 2-1 win over the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park, including smacking a towering solo shot. The contributions from Devers were certainly impactful and ended up making a vital difference in helping the Red Sox come out on top.
"The timing never went away," Devers told NESN's Tom Caron through a translator, as seen on the network's postgame coverage. "I just kept hitting batting practice when I was injured, and saw that the timing never went away. So, I'm happy to be here."
While Boston's offense had a tough time getting rolling against Houston starter Cristian Javier, Devers didn't have the same difficulty. He laced an RBI double into the right field corner in the bottom of the fourth inning that scored Tommy Pham and tied up the game.
Then in the sixth inning, Devers took Javier deep with a bomb over the wall in left field to break a 1-1 deadlock. Devers was just as glad as the Red Sox were to have the slugger back in the middle of the order.
"I feel happy to be back and help the team win," Devers said through a translator. "That's what I'm trying to do. Trying to stay healthy and trying to help the team win on the field. So, I'm happy for tonight."
Devers hamstring ailment that landed him on the IL didn't seem to bother him in the field, as Red Sox manager Alex Cora also commended the 25-year-old for his defensive effort in the win.
More notes from Tuesday's Red Sox-Astros game:
-- Kutter Crawford turned in another standout performance, as he continues to be one of Boston's best pitchers over the second half of the season. Crawford notched the win by allowing just one run over six innings. The 26-year-old right-hander scattered seven hits while striking out six and walking only one.
"They came out swinging as they always do, but he was able to slow it down and make some pitches, start mixing up pitches," Cora said, as seen on NESN postgame coverage. "Today we needed him to go deeper, and he was really good. He's been outstanding for us."
-- Cora asked a little bit more out of Tanner Houck and he delivered. The Red Sox's closer notched a five-out save as he ended a threat with two men on in the eighth before working a clean ninth inning. The talented righty now has eight saves on the season.
-- Christian Vázquez wasn't in the starting lineup for the Astros, but did pinch-hit for Martin Maldonado in the ninth against Houck. Houck got his former teammate to ground out softly to second base.
For Cora, it wasn't the best feeling to see Vázquez step into the batter's box with the game on the line.
"I'm like, 'Bro.' In the eighth or ninth it seems like the last month and a half he always gets a hit and then he takes that slider like he knew it was coming," Cora told reporters. "I was like, 'No, please not here. We don't need this.' But Tanner was really good. He made some pitches."
-- Pham got the start in left field in his Red Sox debut and went 1-for-4 at the plate with a run scored.
-- The Red Sox are now 4-1 against the Astros this season.
-- The Red Sox look to sweep the Astros on Wednesday afternoon. First pitch from Minute Maid Park is scheduled for 2:10 p.m. ET, and you can catch the game, plus an hour of pregame coverage, with NESN 360.
