Verdugo hits HR on his 25th birthday as Sox blank Angels
BOSTON — Alex Verdugo hit a solo homer in his first at-bat on his 25th birthday, Xander Bogaerts also went deep with a game-breaking, three-run shot and the Boston Red Sox beat the stumbling Los Angeles Angels 9-0 on Saturday.
Rafael Devers added a solo shot, Bobby Dalbec hit a two-run double and Franchy Cordero drove in two runs with two doubles for the Red Sox (25-16), who won their third straight and matched their season high by climbing nine games over .500.
Angels star Shohei Ohtani had a rough day, getting cut down on a baserunning blunder after a single in his first at-bat, and striking out his next three.
Martín Pérez (1-2) went six innings, holding the Angels to three singles, striking out five with four walks. Three relievers combined on the four-hitter.
Los Angeles (16-22) has lost four in a row, falling to a season-worst six games under .500.
Verdugo snapped an 0-for-14 stretch by sending a fastball from Dylan Bundy (0-5) over Boston’s bullpen. After crossing home plate, he pointed up to the front row of seats on the Green Monster, where about a half-dozen fans, with most wearing his jersey, were cheering wildly and holding birthday signs.
Bogaerts chased Bundy with his shot that left Fenway Park completely over the Monster seats, giving the Red Sox a 7-0 lead in the fifth.
Bundy was tagged for seven runs in four innings, raising his ERA to 6.02.
Ohtani singled down the leftfield line and headed toward second before noticing teammate Taylor Ward standing near the bag. Ohtani broke back but was easily tagged out in a rundown.
He struck out swinging in his second at-bat after fouling a ball off his foot and walking around gingerly.
The Red Sox had scored just nine total runs while Pérez was in the game in his seven previous starts. They put up eight on Saturday.
What do you think?: Red Sox reliever Adam Ottavino revealed sometimes he’ll ask a teammate on the field what they think he should throw in a big spot. He said it started with teammates Troy Tulowitzki and DJ LeMahieu when they played together in Colorado.
“I’ve been doing it a long time in my career,” he said before the game. “Sometimes you hear it from the great players, and it gives you confidence to throw the pitch with maybe a little more conviction.”
In his first year with Boston, he has started taking advice from Bogaerts. On Friday, he used it — striking out Ohtani with a slider.