It was an unconventional game Tuesday night, but the most important thing for the Red Sox was a victory.
Boston beat the Orioles, 13-9, at Fenway Park in a game that featured 26 hits and eight combined walks from the Baltimore pitching staff. Tuesday's game also featured five total home runs. Triston Casas hit the Red Sox's lone homer of the night, but it was one that showed the power the team's No. 2 prospect is capable of.
"That was a good swing," Cora told reporters, as seen on NESN's postgame coverage. "That was a long time ago. I forgot about that one. ... He controls the strike zone. He's not letting the strike zone control him. The numbers will get there. We like the approach. We like the process. We like the defense. He made a huge play at first base. (Matt Strahm) was late to first, and he got it and he was out. The pick with Kiké (Hernández) on that play. For everything he's done offensively, the defense is the thing that I'm enjoying."
Casas' overall numbers also increased after his first three at-bats, according to Red Sox Stats. His batting average went up from .135 to .182, his on-base percentage went up from .308 to .348 and his slugging percentage went up from .365 to .455. In his last 23 plate appearances, Casas is hitting .467/.652/1.067. That's good for 7-for-15 with three home runs and eight walks, according to Boston senior manager of media relations and baseball information J.P. Long.
"I think I've been more patient," Casas told NESN's Jahmai Webster on his approach at the plate, as seen on the network's postgame coverage. "I think I've taken more pitches, trying to let the pitcher get deep into the count, just trying to make him come to me a little bit more. I feel like that approach has been working. I felt early in my career, I was a little aggressive, trying to make stuff happen instead of letting it come to me. It's been working a little bit these last couple games. I'm gonna keep riding it out."
Here are more notes from Tuesday's Red Sox-Orioles game:
-- Casas has hit five dingers and has drawn 14 walks through his first 20 career games. He become just one of four players all-time to hit at least five homers and drawn at least 14 walks through their first 20 career games, joining Cavan Biggio in 2019 (five home runs, 14 walks), Michael Chavis in 2019 (six home, runs 14 walks), and Alvin Davis in 1984 (nine home runs, 14 walks), according to team media relations and baseball communications assistant Raleigh Clark.
-- Rafael Devers and Xander Bogaerts combined to go 2-for-6 on the night despite the Red Sox scoring 13 runs on 11 hits. Bogaerts was 0-for-4 at the plate, which dropped his batting average to .310 on the season. He sits at third behind New York Yankees star Aaron Judge (.314) and Minnesota Twins first baseman Luis Arraez (.312).
-- The 13 runs tied for most in a game at Fenway Park this season. The Red Sox scored 13 on Sept. 18 against the Kansas City Royals.
-- The Red Sox and Orioles combined for 26 hits, which came at the expense of each team's pitching staffs that combined for 380 pitches on the night.
-- Tommy Pham is 4-for-6 with a double in bases-loaded situations. On Tuesday, he had an RBI single in the third inning to put Boston up, 7-3.
-- The Red Sox and Orioles continue their four-game series Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled at 7:10 p.m. ET, and you can catch full coverage of the game using NESN 360, along with an hour of pregame.
