Rafael Devers can’t stop hitting home runs.
He’s gone yard in four straight games following the Boston Red Sox’s 10-1 win over the Oakland A’s Wednesday. His latest came on a changeup with two outs and a 1-1 count, and soared 387 feet into the visitors bullpen in the bottom of the second after Devers took a swing at it.
“He’s one of the best hitters in the big leagues,” manager Alex Cora said of his third baseman, per Julian McWilliams, The Boston Globe. “He shows up every day. We’re happy that he’s hitting second for us on a daily basis and playing third base. The way he acted in spring training, we had a feeling that it would be something like this and he’s coming through.”
With Devers up to four consecutive games with home runs, the number to know is eight. Ken Griffey Jr. (1993), Don Mattingly (1987) and Dale Long (1956) are tied for the MLB record having hit a home run in eight straight games in their careers.
In that Red Sox win, Josh Winckowski earned his first career win, pitching five scoreless innings. He allowed four hits and struck out three batters on 79 pitches. His first career win comes in his second start in the majors. The first start wasn’t as successful, as the 23 year-old allowed four earned runs in three innings in a loss against the Baltimore Orioles.
Winckowski was called up after Boston placed both Garret Whitlock and Nathan Eovaldi on the 15-day Injured List. He has nine starts in Worcester, the Red Sox Triple-A affiliate this season. He’s 2-2 with a 3.38 ERA in those games.
Boston continues to win in the month of June, where its record is now 11-2. The Red Sox remain in fourth place of the AL East, 1.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays, 3.5 behind the Blue Jays and 12 behind the scorching hot New York Yankees.
On Thursday afternoon Boston finishes it series with the A’s, who hold the league’s worst record at 21-43. After that the St. Louis Cardinals come to Fenway for the weekend.