Rafael Devers had a humorous reaction to ‘golfing’ a home run in Red Sox comeback win
Devers acknowledged that the game of golf is not his forte.
The Red Sox completed the two-game sweep of the Braves with a 5-3 comeback win on Wednesday night. Boston is now 21-4 when wearing the yellow “City Connect” jerseys. After a night off on Thursday, the team will start a three-game series against the Giants in San Francisco on Friday at 10:15 p.m.
Also from Wednesday, the Revolution demolished Liga MX side Atlético San Luis 5-1 in the Leagues Cup group stage match. New England clinched a spot in the tournament’s knockout stage as a result.
At the Women’s World Cup, the United States rallied to earn a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands in the team’s second group stage game. The Americans remain atop Group E, and will face Portugal in the final group stage game on Tuesday.
Rafael Devers talked about his golf game: During the Red Sox win over the Braves on Wednesday, Rafael Devers swatted his 25th home run of the season on a pitch that was, as Bob Ueker might say, just a little bit low.
Pitch location graphics confirmed what was certainly obvious: Spencer Strider’s slider had appeared to be too low for anyone to actually hit it out for a home run.
Yet Devers did just that, hooking the ball around Pesky Pole. Per MLB.com’s Ian Browne, it was the third lowest pitch hit for a home run in the 2023 season to this point:
“I try to always be aggressive,” Devers told reporters after the game via interpreter Carlos Villoria Benítez. “And there’s sometimes I get to hit the ball out of the ballpark with a bad pitch and today was one of those nights.”
Naturally, the 26-year-old was unable to resist a little bit of humor.
“I’m very bad playing golf,” joked Devers. “So I think that’s just my natural swing and I’m glad that today the ball went out.”
Trivia: According to Baseball Reference, Rafael Devers is currently eighth on the Red Sox all-time list of at-bats per home run (18.7). Can you name the player who ranks just below Devers on the list at 18.9.
(Answer at the bottom).
Hint: No longer with the Red Sox (but still an active MLB player), he led the American League in RBIs during his time with Boston in 2018.
More from Boston.com:
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- Why Jaylen Brown, Celtics say Brown’s lucrative deal ‘made sense for everybody’
- Lindsey Horan’s goal helps US squeeze out 1-1 draw with the Netherlands at the Women’s World Cup
- 3 takeaways from the Revolution’s 5-1 Leagues Cup win over Atlético San Luis
- 10 takeaways from the first day of Patriots training camp
- Mac Jones, eager for a ‘fresh start,’ gets the edge over Bailey Zappe on Day 1 of training camp
- Aaron Rodgers takes a pay cut and agrees to a 2-year, $75 million deal with the Jets, AP source says
- Liverpool great Jordan Henderson heads to Saudi Arabia to join Al-Ettifaq
- Harvard undergraduate Josefine Hasbo’s summer job: Starting for Denmark at the Women’s World Cup
Lindsey Horan got her revenge: After Dutch midfielder Daniëlle van de Donk made a rough tackle on U.S. midfielder Lindsey Horan, the 29-year-old American was not happy. Though the two are club teammates at Lyon, Horan gave van de Donk a shove after a brief confrontation.
The U.S. captain quickly got payback in the best possible way: scoring a vital equalizing goal on the ensuing corner kick.
A potential addition for an AFC East rival: The Jets are reportedly hosting free agent running back Dalvin Cook.
On this day: In 2013, David Ortiz utterly destroyed a dugout phone at Camden Yards. Unhappy with a called third strike, the Red Sox slugger was eventually tossed from the game by the home plate umpire.
Replays eventually showed that Ortiz, walking back into the dugout with his bat still in-hand, shattered the phone with two swings of his bat in an awesome display of power.
Despite Ortiz’s ejection, the Red Sox went on to win 7-3 thanks in large part to Stephen Drew going 3-for-5 with a pair of home runs and five RBIs.
Daily highlight: Kendall Diggs made a diving catch for the Bourne Braves of the Cap Cod League in an 8-7 loss to the Cotuit Kettleers.
Trivia answer: J.D. Martinez
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