In comeback fashion, the Boston Red Sox opened up their four-game series against the Texas Rangers on Thursday at Fenway Park — plating home six runs in the final two innings of the game including four in the ninth to notch their fourth walk-off victory of the season.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora had confidence in Boston’s lineup, heading into the ninth inning — down three runs — which he shared in his postgame press conference.
“When we actually got hits, we were using the whole field,” Cora told reporters, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage. “The line was moving, quality at-bats. … Then Dugie (Alex Verdugo) changed the complexion of the game, he hit a homer. They bring the reliever, then with (Matt) Moore, we did a good job.”
Cora added: “That last inning was what we expected out of the lineup. Swing at strikes, if not, keep the line moving and then we put some good swings. Kiké (Hernández) the other way, Raffy (Devers) the other way. … A good win.”
The Red Sox battled back from a three-run deficit in the ninth, tying their largest deficit in a comeback victory this year. With three outs left to work with in the ninth, against Rangers reliever Jonathan Hernández, the Red Sox drew two walks and totaled four base hits while Hernández only managed to record one out.
Here are more notes from Thursday’s Red Sox-Rangers game:
— Thursday’s hero and Red Sox center fielder Rob Refsnyder delivered his first-career walk-off base hit — his second single in a 2-for-4 effort at the plate.
— Verdugo, who proved to be a pivotal part of the lineup, went 3-for-4 with his eighth home run of the season and three runs scored. The 26-year-old extended his hitting streak to eight games in which he’s batting .389 (14-for-36) with six extra-base hits in that stretch.
— Against American League West opponents, the Red Sox improved to 22-8 — the best any team in the AL has performed against that division this season.
— Rich Hill, in his no-decision outing, became just the third pitcher in Red Sox history to toss 20-plus starts in a season at the age of 42 or older. Hill sits behind Tim Wakefield, who did so on two occasions (2009, 2011), and David Wells (2005), as reported by Red Sox senior social media manager J.P. Long.
— The Red Sox, now winners of back-to-back one-run contests, will look to carry their ninth-inning momentum to Game 2 of the series on Friday. First pitch from Fenway Park is set for 7:10 p.m. ET, following “Friday Night Fenway” and an hour of pregame coverage, live on NESN.
