After such an exciting weekend series in New York, Monday’s 7-3 Red Sox loss to the Indians was especially disappointing, particularly given the Yankees’ come-from-behind 4-2 win over the Mets.
Monday’s game was a do-over for a rain out in the series between these two clubs earlier in the month. Boston already won the series with wins on July 31 and August 1.
After two good performances in his most recent starts, the Sox were at an almost immediate disadvantage when starter Doug Fister allowed three quick runs by the Indians in the second inning.
Boston rallied to tie the game by the end of the fourth, but Cleveland immediately scored twice in each of the next two frames, both coming on two-run blasts by Edwin Encarnacion. Encarnacion’s 20 multi-HR games in the last 5 years (2013-17) are tied with the Marlins’ Giancarlo Stanton for the most in the Major Leagues in that time.
Fister only made it through 4.1 IP with five runs allowed on seven hits. He struck out five but uncharacteristically walked four. With Monday’s loss, Fister now stands at 2-6 with a 5.56 ERA.
Indians starter Trevor Bauer, on the other hand, went 6.2 IP allowing three Boston runs on seven hits with 11 strikeouts, his second performance with 10+ strikeouts this season.
Sox Score Exclusively on Home Runs
In a season where home runs have been tough to come by, all three Red Sox runs on Monday came on solo shots, including two in back-to-back plate appearances by Rafael Devers and another by Andrew Benintendi. The home run for Benintendi extended his hitting streak to a career-best eight games. Benintendi has driven in at least one run in each of his last four games.
Devers, at age 20 years, 295 days, became the youngest player with two home runs in a game since Bryce Harper on April 20, 2013 at age 20 years, 186 days. No Red Sox player as young as Devers has belted two HRs in a game since Tony Conigliaro in 1965 at age 20 years, 253 days. The only other Red Sox hitters since 1913 with a multi-HR game before turning 21 are Ted Williams (1) and Conigliaro (4).
It was the first Fenway game in which a player on each team recorded multiple HR since May 18, 2008, when David Ortiz and the Brewers Ryan Braun each homered twice.
Devers is only the second Boston hitter in the last 100 seasons with six or more home runs in his first 16 career games, joining Sam Horn, who had seven in that time.
The Red Sox now have multiple home runs in their last six games at Fenway Park, the longest multi-HR streak there since six games in July, 2004.
The schedule doesn’t get any easier. Interleague play resumes Tuesday with two games against the Cardinals before an off-day and the return of the Yankees for another weekend series, this time in Boston. Then the Sox head to Cleveland for four more against the Tribe.