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4 takeaways as Bobby Dalbec’s big night leads Red Sox over Twins
Chris Sale pitched another solid outing, and Rafael Devers hit No. 30 as the Red Sox cruised.
Bobby Dalbec had a career night and the Red Sox offense exploded to earn a 12-2 victory over the Twins on Thursday.
Here are the takeaways.
The Big Picture
In a preview of the rest of the game, Dalbec got the scoring started in the second with a three-run homer to center. The next inning, Alex Verdugo’s RBI single scored Kyle Schwarber and pushed the lead to 4-0.
Chris Sale, meanwhile, put together another solid start. He held the Twins hitless through four innings before Ryan Jeffers connected on a swinging-bunt single. Willians Astudillo followed up with a two-run shot to left, before Sale settled down and drew two more fly-outs to end the frame.
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The Red Sox tacked on another run in the fifth when Rafael Devers drove in Kiké Hernández, then blew the game open in the sixth. Dalbec drove in two more runs with a single, then J.D. Martinez plated another grounding into a double play. Devers put an exclamation point on the inning with a two-run line-driver homer to right — his 30th of the season.
Finally, Dalbec put an appropriate cap on the evening by driving a two-run homer to left in the bottom of the seventh. Astudillo — who has appeared at every position except shortstop in the majors — made the fifth pitching appearance of his career in the bottom of the eighth and held the Red Sox scoreless, as the Red Sox claimed their second series victory in a row.
Star of the Game
Bobby Dalbec — 3-for-4, three runs, seven RBIs, two homers.
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Who else would it be? Dalbec has struggled at times, but he put together one of the best nights of his — and anyone else’s — season. Thursday was his second multi-homer game this month (he hit two against Baltimore on Aug. 14).
What It Means
The win is a clear positive. Elsewhere is a glass half-full, glass half-empty situation for the Red Sox: The Yankees (who led by three games in the AL East) beat the A’s (who now trail the Red Sox by two games for the final wildcard slot).
Takeaways
1. Chris Sale hit 98 mph on a fastball shortly after Astudillo’s homer — the fastest his pitches have been since he returned.
According to Sale, he got in some good bullpen work before the game, and his progression has been encouraging. But the speed of his pitch wasn’t just due to improvements.
“That’s probably the most pissed I’ve been on a baseball field in a while,” Sale said. “That was coming out of anger and frustration. I like to call those ‘Eff You’ fastballs. I got pissed, and I got going.
“Today was probably the best my mechanics have been start to finish. I really felt like I was staying on top of the baseball. I really kind of found it in the bullpen before the game. That kind of mixed with a little bit of hate, honestly. I really kind of just got extended and let it eat.”
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Cora smiled when asked about Sale’s performance.
“You hate to see the homer, but then after that, you saw the numbers going up,” Cora said. “That’s a good sign.”
In the third, Sale pitched an immaculate inning — nine pitches, three strikeouts. At that point, Cora started wondering whether he would have to make some tough decisions about how long Sale — who had a no-hitter at the time — would be allowed to pitch.
Fortunately, Sale’s mild struggles in the fifth ended the drama despite what Cora called an “overall outstanding” outing.
“The first one was good, the second one he grinded, the third one he was a lot better and showed there was something in the tank,” Cora said. “We’re getting ready for the next one. Those five innings are huge for us, and he’s still going to get better.”
2. Devers has 30 homers and 94 RBIs with 33 games remaining. After Thursday, Cora was ready to make some bold declarations about his 24-year-old star.
“Not too many people put him in the conversation of Vladdy [Guerrero Jr.], Fernando [Tatis Jr.] and [Juan] Soto,” Cora said. “He’s still 24, man. He led the league in extra base hits in ’19. Now he has 30 home runs, 90-something RBIs. He keeps getting better. It’s a pleasure watching him every night and managing him.”
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Devers has been in a mild slump. Cora said he wasn’t certain whether the slump was due to Devers’ pursuit of 30 home runs, but he feels good about the next few weeks.
“I bet he’s about to get hot,” Cora said. “That’s a big number, obviously, and I think he’ll be able to breathe.”
3. Dalbec has been on a tear since the beginning of August — he is batting .311/.404/.622 in 52 plate appearances.
Cora said Dalbec’s two-run single was his favorite part of the 26-year-old’s performance.
“Forget the home runs, I was more happy with second and third, and infield in, base hit up the middle,” Cora said. “That’s what we’re looking for. Obviously the homers are great but that was what we’re looking for. He made a nice play at first base, all around pretty solid. It was good to see.”
Schwarber’s pending move to first — as well as the acquisition of Travis Shaw — comes at a tough time for Dalbec, who has just now hit a groove after struggling (.235/.287/.453) for most of the season at the plate.
Still, Dalbec insisted he is fine with whatever the Red Sox do.
“I think I said it last time: It’s not about me,” Dalbec said. “Whatever lineup is best suited to win the game, I’m all for it. That’s all I have to say about that.”
4. Kyle Schwarber had five plate appearances and was 1-for-1 in the box score with four walks.
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“That was a highlight of the day,” Cora said.
Schwarber’s numbers since joining the Red Sox have been impressive, and Cora believes the veteran hitter has had a positive influence on his teammates.
“[During] Kyle’s at-bat, everybody’s like, ‘Wow, he’s not chasing. He’s taking his walks,'” Cora said. “You start to see guys taking their pitches, fouling off pitches and getting their walks.
“It’s not even that you go up there and take pitches — we like to do damage early in the outs when they come right after you. But it’s good to keep the line moving, get to the bullpen, put pressure on people early on, and he’s doing that. That’s a good sign. We’re getting there.”
5. Expect a new look for the team on Friday against Cleveland. Xander Bogaerts sat Thursday’s game due to cramping, but he will be back in the lineup.
Meanwhile, Schwarber — who played briefly at first on Thursday — is expected to start at his new position.
“It’s just one of those stretches that’s coming, and we feel healthy enough that now we can start taking care of players and at the same time be very competitive, which is great,” Cora said.
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