Sox continue power trip
Devers (2), Martinez, Betts go deep to support Porcello
ARLINGTON, Texas — In their first season without David Ortiz, the Red Sox struggled to find their power last year.
Under manager Alex Cora, though, they have certainly found their home run stroke.
The charge has been led by Mookie Betts, whose new approach at the plate has worked wonders, and his teammates are following suit. Last night, that was on display once again.
Betts homered again, the Red Sox went deep four times against Bartolo Colon, including two from Rafael Devers, and Rick Porcello was again excellent on the mound in bouncing back from Thursday’s lopsided loss to beat the Texas Rangers 5-1 at Globe Life Park.
The Red Sox have flexed their muscles this week in a big way. With last night’s homers, they now have 13 in their last five games, which includes five from Betts. A year after they ranked last in the American League in home runs, the Red Sox are tied for fifth in the majors with 43 long balls.
With his 13th, Betts kept ahead of Washington star Bryce Harper for the MLB lead. Betts is already more than halfway to his total of 24 during 2017.
All four of the Red Sox’ bombs were of the solo variety, and it was more than enough to support Porcello. The righty continued his stellar bounce-back season with six strong innings, allowing just three hits and striking out eight to pick up his fifth win. He improved his ERA to 2.14.
J.D. Martinez got the Red Sox on the board. The designated hitter led off the second inning and pulled a 2-2 changeup from Colon to left. The ball bounced on top of the wall and over for a four-bagger and a 1-0 lead.
Porcello was cruising in the fourth, when he made his first, and only, hiccup. After striking out Shin-Soo Choo and Jurickson Profar, the righty was one strike away on Nomar Mazara, who made the Sox starter pay for a 3-2 slider that hung over the plate. Mazara continued his hot series by blasting Porcello’s offering 412 feet to center for a 1-1 tie. It was his fourth home run in four consecutive games, and second against the Red Sox.
It wasn’t tied for long. Rafael Devers led off the top of the fifth by demolishing a Colon fastball to right, a 427-foot homer into the second deck.
The power trip continued in the sixth with Betts, who homered for the fifth time in 10 at-bats. His 398foot solo shot to left came on an 0-2 changeup from Colon after he had fouled off four consecutive pitches.
With the homer, Betts passed Dom DiMaggio for the most home runs in Red Sox history by a leadoff hitter. Betts now has 70 from the top of the order.
The Red Sox weren’t done. In the seventh, Devers jumped on another Colon changeup and blasted it to right-center for another solo homer. It was his eighth and the 21-year-old’s second career multihome run game.
After Porcello departed, a rested Red Sox bullpen finished the job, as Joe Kelly, Matt Barnes and Bobby Poyner combined for three scoreless innings or relief.