By Zachary McMahon –
The Boston Red Sox went up against the Chicago Cubs on Saturday afternoon at Fenway Park, after the Cubs took the opening game of the series following an another great performance from pitcher Shota Imanga.
Josh Winckowski started on the mound for the BoSox as he’s a temporary replacement on the starting rotation, while three of the five original starters are on the injured list. Winckowski pitched three innings, allowed three hits, and struck out one Cubs batter.
Rafael Devers is back playing third base after playing his last three games as the designated hitter after returning from injury. This meant that Masataka Yoshida was back in the starting lineup. Yoshida went 4-for-5 with a double, RBI, and three runs scored.
The Red Sox opened the scoring up by a two-run homer by Tyler O’Neil who hit his ninth homer of the season, which is the most by a Red Sox player in his first 19 games with the team since 1966.
Then, the Red Sox went off for 15 runs between the fourth and eighth innings, which started by a sacrifice fly by Ceddane Rafaela that scored Yoshida. This followed up by six run innings in the fifth and eighth innings.
Rafaela had a career day in the batter’s box as he went 4-for-4 with two doubles, home run, and seven RBIs and a stolen base, which means that he was a triple away from the cycle. Dalbec who entered the contest with a .093 batting average this season when 2-for-4 with a double, three RBIs, and two runs scored.
Pablo Reyes, who replaced Devers at third base, ended the scoring run by the Sox with a RBI single to center that scored Rafaela. Reyes then went on the mound and pitched the ninth inning, where he allowed a hit and a walk that closed out the game. Then, Dalbec moved to third, Connor Wong who was at catcher moved to first base and then Reese Magwire replaced Wong at catcher in the ninth to accommodate the move to pitcher for Reyes.
The Red Sox will be playing the series finale against the Cubs on Sunday night at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. Tanner Houck will be starting for the Sox.