The Boston Red Sox tied up the ALDS with authority on Friday night, and set a new franchise record in the process.
The Red Sox, in their dominant 14-6 win over the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field, hit a postseason team record five home runs to even up the series at 1-1.
Boston had 20 hits on the night, just one day after they were shut out in the opening game of the series.
“For us it wasn’t win or go home, but that was sort of the mentality,” Kiké Hernández said on Fox after his five-hit night. “We came in with a sense of urgency and we needed to win this game in order for us to have a chance to win this series. We stole won here in Tampa and now we’re going back to Fenway with a best of three series with home field advantage. I like it.”
Boston sets franchise record with 5 home runs
Boston picked up a pair of runs right off the bat, but quickly found themselves in a three-run hole after Rays first baseman Jordan Luplow hit a grand slam in the bottom of the inning and Yandy Diaz hit an RBI single.
The Red Sox, though, hit two home runs each in both the third and fifth innings to quickly take full control of the contest. The first two were solo shots from Alex Verdugo and Xander Bogaerts in the third, and then J.D. Martinez hit a three-run homer in the fifth followed by a solo home run from Hernández.
The record-setting blast came from Rafael Devers in the top of the eighth inning, which put Boston up 11-6.
Dever’s home run, naturally, set off quite the celebration in the dugout.
Though the home run stretch was over, Boston’s scoring night wasn’t. Christian Vazquez hit an RBI single to kick off the ninth inning, and then Hernández grabbed his fifth hit of the night — tying a postseason record — with a two-RBI single. The Red Sox then survived a scare in the bottom of the inning and closed it out without giving up a run to seal the win.
After dropping Game 1 of the series without scoring a single run, it’s safe to say the Red Sox bats are more than back.
Game 3 of the series is set for Sunday afternoon in Boston.
