The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Betts homers 3 times again
BOSTON — Mookie Betts heard the name Ted Williams, and that was enough for him.
Betts belted three solo homers and J.D. Martinez also went deep, powering the Boston Red Sox to a 5-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday.
It was the fourth threehomer game for the 25-yearold Betts, snapping a tie with Williams for most threehomer games in franchise history. Betts broke into the majors with the Red Sox in 2014, so he was well aware of the significance of the connection to the Hall of Famer.
“It’s pretty cool,” Betts said. “He hit .400 in a year and did a whole bunch of things I haven’t done. Just to know my name is amongst his is pretty cool.”
Betts also hit three homers in a 10-1 victory at the Angels on April 17. He is the first player in major league history with four threehomer games before turning 26, according to STATS.
“We’re trying to shut them down just to get Mookie another at-bat,” Red Sox starter Drew Pomeranz said, smiling. “When he gets going like that, that’s pretty cool.”
AL East-leading Boston won for the third time in four games after losing 7-6 in 13 innings on Tuesday night.
Cheslor Cuthbert homered for Kansas City, and Drew Butera had a two-run double. The Royals were trying for consecutive wins for just the second time this season.
Danny Duffy (0-4) was tagged for five runs and 10 hits in 62⁄3 innings.
Pomeranz (1-1) worked six innings, giving up all three of his runs in the first two frames. Craig Kimbrel struck out the side in the ninth for his eighth save and 299th of his career a day after his first blown opportunity this season.
Unlike most of the early season games in Fenway Park, there was a summerlike feel with a game-time temperature of 86 degrees under bright-blue skies.
Betts led off the fourth with a drive to center for his ninth homer of the season.
“I see Mookie Betts six times a year,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “Going on a six-game look, (he is) a special player.”