BOSTON --- On an afternoon where its starting pitching looked shaky at the outset, the Red Sox offense decided to take matters into its own hands.
Xander Bogaerts was the catalyst yet again and Rick Porcello snapped back to form after a one-inning lapse as the run support rolled in, with Tampa Bay powerless to stop the onslaught at Fenway Park.
Bogaerts knocked in a career-high six runs and Porcello dominated after the opening frame as Boston bashed the Rays, 10-3, on a [...]
BOSTON --- On an afternoon where its starting pitching looked shaky at the outset, the Red Sox offense decided to take matters into its own hands.
Xander Bogaerts was the catalyst yet again and Rick Porcello snapped back to form after a one-inning lapse as the run support rolled in, with Tampa Bay powerless to stop the onslaught at Fenway Park.
Bogaerts knocked in a career-high six runs and Porcello dominated after the opening frame as Boston bashed the Rays, 10-3, on a sunny Saturday afternoon.
Bogaerts smoked a two-run double off the Green Monster in the first and crushed a grand slam onto Lansdowne Street in the second, the second of his career and the first for the club since Dustin Pedroia did the honors against Tampa Bay in September 2016. J.D. Martinez added his first Red Sox homer in the seventh and Rafael Devers sent another solo shot into the visiting bullpen, as a lineup that had trailed the club’s stellar starting pitching to date did some catching up.
Porcello scuffled through the first, allowing three of the first four men to reach and falling behind when Brad Miller lined a two-run double to the triangle in right center. The right-hander settled down to retire 17 straight men during one stretch, working 1-2-3 frames in the third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh. Porcello threw 66 of his 94 pitches for strikes and fanned seven against no walks.
Boston entered a combined 4-for-31 against Tampa Bay starter Jake Faria and proceeded to go 4-for-6 while drawing a walk in the opening inning. Martinez drove a sacrifice fly and Devers lined an RBI single right right around the double by Bogaerts, turning a 2-0 deficit into a 4-2 lead.
There was more where that came from in the second, as Faria walked the bases loaded to bring Bogaerts back to the plate. He jumped all over a 3-2 fastball and smashed a drive over everything in left, giving the Red Sox all the breathing room they required in an 8-2 game.
It marks the second time in 118 years Boston has won seven straight games after falling on Opening Day. The previous time came in 1904, when the Red Sox won the second of their 13 American League pennants. Porcello has captured each of his last 22 starts when receiving three runs of support or more.
bkoch@providencejournal.com
On Twitter: @BillKoch25