The Boston Red Sox Wednesday, April 11, 2018 * the Boston Globe
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The Boston Red Sox Wednesday, April 11, 2018 * The Boston Globe Red Sox keep ‘riding the wave’ in ninth straight victory Peter Abraham The Red Sox had the best record in spring training, winning 14 of their last 15 games. But it didn’t matter because it was spring training. Then they got off to the best start in team history, winning eight of their first nine games. But it didn’t matter because it came against the penny-pinching Tampa Bay Rays and Miami Marlins. Now does it matter? A 14-1 victory against the Yankees on Tuesday night certainly suggests there is more going on at Fenway Park than simply fortuitous scheduling. Mookie Betts had four hits, including a grand slam, as the Sox rolled to their ninth consecutive victory before a crowd of 32,357 at Fenway Park. At 9-1, the Sox have the best record in the American League under new manager Alex Cora. The first three hitters in the order — Betts, Andrew Benintendi, and Hanley Ramirez — were 8 of 9 with eight runs scored, nine RBIs, five extra-base hits, and four walks. “It’s definitely super fun to be involved in any win. I just do what I can,” said Betts, who is hitting .432 with a 1.263 OPS. Betts scored five runs, a career high. He is only the seventh player in history to score five or more runs against the Yankees, the first since Luis Castillo of the Mets in 2008. The 14 runs were the most for the Sox against the Yankees since a 14-1 victory on Aug. 22, 2009. The Sox have scored 22 runs in their the last two games. Chris Sale pitched six strong innings for his first win of the season. He was going to come out for one more inning but there wasn’t much point with the Sox up by 13 runs. For Sale, it goes back to spring training. Record aside, the Sox played well under Cora and they were able to carry that into the season. “We’re just riding the wave — showing up, having fun, and winning games,” said Sale. “I think [Cora] has a lot to do with that. You look at him in the dugout and he’s just kind of looking around and spitting seeds. He has a very calm demeanor and that helps us not panic, too.” Cora has been pleased with the energy of his players for several weeks now. That good pitching and defense has fueled this initial burst of success is another positive sign. But his postgame expression was one of a man waiting at a traffic light. “It’s still early in the season. It’s only a good start,” Cora said. “We know there’s a lot of work to be done.” The Red Sox knocked Yankees starter Luis Severino out of the game after five innings and 94 pitches. He was fortunate to get that far given the Sox left six runners on base when he was in the game. Betts led off the first inning with a double to left-center. Benintendi walked before Ramirez singled to center to drive in a run. When Rafael Devers walked with one out, the Sox had the bases loaded. But Eduardo Nunez popped up and Jackie Bradley Jr. struck out. But Severino did not take advantage of the reprieve. Christian Vazquez singled to lead off the second inning. Betts also singled before Benintendi lined a triple into the right field corner. Betts scored when Ramirez dropped a single into left field. “We came out ready to play, got up early, and kept it on them,” Benintendi said. The top of the order created another run in the fourth inning. Betts drew a walk, went to third on Benintendi’s double, and scored on Ramirez’s sacrifice fly to right field. Ramirez has 11 RBIs in nine games. It took him 20 games to get to 11 RBIs last season. The Yankees went to their bullpen in the sixth inning and the Sox scored nine runs as 12 batters came to the plate. J.D. Martinez just missed a grand slam, his shot to center field off Tommy Kahnle resulting in a two-run double. Devers followed with a sacrifice fly. With two outs, an error by third baseman Miguel Andujar allowed a run to score. Chasen Shreve then walked Brock Holt to force in a run. Betts followed with a line-drive grand slam into the Monster Seats and the Sox had a 14-1 lead. It was his second home run of the season. In the last seven games, Betts is 14 of 26 with six extra-base hits, 13 runs, and six RBIs. “His ability to make contact is unreal,” Cora said. Sale allowed eight hits and one run, that coming on a home run deep into the center field bleachers by Aaron Judge in the fifth inning. It was measured at 444 feet. Judge was 0 for 12 with 10 strikeouts against Sale last season, his first time facing the lefthander. He was 3 for 3 on Tuesday. Sale has a 1.06 ERA through three starts and has struck out 23 in 17 innings. “Of his three starts that was his best one and he’s getting better,” Cora said. Said Sale: “When you go out there and you’re winning you just have confidence and you’re more relaxed. You’re not pressing to get results, it just happens.” David Price starts the second game of the series on Wednesday. He will face Masahiro Tanaka. The 5-6 Yankees have lost four of their last five games. Mookie Betts took Alex Cora’s advice, and look what happened Nick Cafardo You can’t blame first-year Red Sox manager Alex Cora, after being around George Springer for all of 2017 with the Houston Astros, for thinking that maybe Mookie Betts could be like the World Series MVP. Cora envisioned a power-hitting leadoff man like Springer. He thought Betts could get there if he would only be more aggressive rather than trying to grind out at-bats and taking walks. And so Betts practiced what Cora preached to him in spring training — change his mind-set. It took him a while to get used to the new way, but he started to feel more and more comfortable. And after a 4-for-4 night that included a grand slam, two doubles, and five runs scored in the Red Sox’ 14- 1 shellacking of the Yankees Tuesday at Fenway Park, Cora felt his message and vision for Betts had gotten through to the 2016 AL MVP runner-up. “First of all he’s going to make contact, but now he understands that he can do damage in the strike zone and that he doesn’t have to just put the ball in play and get singles,” Cora said. “I’m not saying that was the case but I told him there’s nothing wrong with swinging and missing at pitches. It doesn’t matter. Go for it. There was a 2-0 count he took a big hack and he swung and missed and it was just a strike. He was taking too many pitches right down the middle and he can do damage with those.” Cora took mental notes as he observed Betts from the opposing dugout last season. “From personal experience from last year, he’ll take the first-pitch strike and he’ll beat you in the third at- bat,” Cora said. “What I learned from him last year and the way other teams see him, you start thinking I can change my approach. His ability to make contact is unreal and he can do damage when he makes contact. I bring up George [Springer] a lot because that’s what he did with Houston last year and that’s what I envision with Mookie. He can do the same thing.” Betts said Cora talked to him from the moment he took the job with the Red Sox and started calling players to share observations. From his view and studying video of every hitter, Cora formulated a game plan for each player, a checklist of things he wanted to stress in one-on-one conversations. “Right after he got hired he called and he just wanted everyone to pay attention to detail,” Betts said. “He showed me the numbers and scouting reports that indicated to me that I should swing more.” Betts relished that he set the tone Tuesday night with his leadoff double. He complimented teammates for driving him in and giving Chris Sale an early lead. In the sixth he blasted his grand slam, capping a nine- run outburst in which 12 batters came to the plate. It was the first grand slam by a Sox hitter against the Yankees since Jarrod Saltalamacchia connected on Sept. 13, 2013, at Fenway. Betts reached base a career-high five times and ended the night hitting .432. He became the first Sox player in the last 100 years with five runs scored and a grand slam in the same game. Betts has a major league-leading 135 doubles since 2015, including 81 at Fenway. “Just trying to do my job and score some runs,” Betts said. “The guys hitting behind me did a great job. I just got some good pitches to hit and put some good swings together today.” Betts doesn’t think the adjustment has been anything that dramatic. “It’s easy really,” he said, “just swing more.” The approach has been re-emphasized by new hitting coach Tim Hyers, who worked with Betts in the minor leagues.