Devers ties club record with HR in 5th straight game
Ian Browne
@IanMBrowneST. LOUIS -- Red Sox star slugger Rafael Devers has turned this week into his personal home run derby.
In Sunday's 11-3 series finale win over St. Louis, Devers tied a club record by going deep for the fifth straight game.
The accomplishment was done six previous times in club history by the following players: Bobby Dalbec (2020), Jose Canseco (1995), George Scott (1977), Dick Stuart (1963), Ted Williams (1957) and Jimmie Foxx (1940).
It¡¯s a fairly safe bet there will be some kind of exchange between Devers and Dalbec, the latter of whom is currently playing for Boston¡¯s Triple-A Worcester affiliate.
¡°It¡¯s good it was Bobby [who did it last],¡± said Devers. ¡°He¡¯s one of my best friends.¡±
Devers will try to become the first Boston player to homer in six straight games when the Red Sox open a three-game series on Monday at Tropicana Field against the Rays.
¡°I didn¡¯t even think about who was the record-holder or anything like that, not even on the fourth or the fifth [homer],¡± said Devers. ¡°That¡¯s not going to change for tomorrow. Hopefully I get four hits instead of home runs.¡±
His Sunday shot was a two-run rocket to center that extended Boston¡¯s lead to 9-1 in the top of the sixth. For Devers, his ninth homer of the season left his bat at 106.8 mph and went a Statcast-projected distance of 404 feet.
¡°I've been lucky enough to watch Raf for a number of years now,¡± said Red Sox righty Nick Pivetta. ¡°He's a game changer and that's who he is. And he loves that. So it¡¯s just always nice having him on our team and watching him go about his business. You just always have all the confidence.¡±
That confidence turned into swag when Devers hit his no-doubter on Sunday, as he looked at the ball in flight like Reggie Jackson circa 1977 before going into his home run trot.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora said that watching Devers these last five days was reminiscent of when he watched Ken Griffey Jr. go deep in eight straight games in 1993. Cora¡¯s brother Joey was on that Seattle team.
¡°He¡¯s a good player and he wants to get better,¡± Cora said of Devers. ¡°That¡¯s the important thing.¡±
Watching a star hitter in a zone is as appealing for teammates as it is for spectators.
¡°When that guy gets on a heater, it¡¯s fun to watch,¡± said Red Sox outfielder Tyler O¡¯Neill. ¡°He¡¯s been one of the best hitters in the league for a long time. I¡¯m enjoying watching it in person rather than on TV.¡±