Bogaerts’ big day lifts Red Sox
Three hits, 3 RBIS help boost wild-card hopes
Xander Bogaerts knows the Boston Red Sox aren’t going to erase their wild-card deficit quickly, but he did his part on Sunday to help them make up more ground.
Bogaerts had three hits, including a homer, and three RBIS as the Red Sox wrapped up a successful road swing with a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.
Boston took two of three from Los Angeles and went 6-2 on the trip. Combined with Tampa Bay’s weekend sweep of Cleveland and the Yankees taking two of three from Oakland, the Red Sox moved within five games of the second AL wild card. They began the trip 61/2 games back on Aug. 19.
“Sometimes you want to see it go down a full game, but hopefully we will start seeing it go down some more,” Bogaerts said.
J.D. Martinez also homered for Boston and extended his hitting streak to nine games. The slugger had six home runs and 18 RBIS during the road trip.
Angels slugger Albert Pujols had an RBI double in the third inning for his 3,185th career hit, passing Cal Ripken Jr. for 14th place. Justin Upton homered in the eighth.
Bogaerts and Martinez went back-to-back in the third. Rafael Devers singled with one out and Bogaerts sent Andrew Heaney’s changeup over the wall in center for his 31st homer of the year. He has 103 RBIS, which matches a career high.
On the next pitch, Martinez homered to left-center. It was the ninth time this season Boston hit consecutive homers. Bogaerts also drove in Mookie Betts with a single in the first.
“It seems like he has found his rhythm. He is attacking pitches where he wants to and isn’t expanding the zone,” manager Alex Cora said of Martinez, whose 34 homers are tied for fourth in the AL.
David Price came off the injured list and made his first start for the Red Sox since Aug. 4. He threw 45 pitches in two innings and allowed one hit and a walk with two strikeouts.
Ryan Weber (2-2), the third of six Boston pitchers, gave up a hit and a walk in two innings to get the win. Brandon Workman picked up his 10th save.