Red Sox veterаn аfter 2-һomer gаme: ‘I’ve been freаkіng so bаd’

Rob Refsnyder recorded a four-hit game Aug. 3, then went into an extended slump. He entered Monday with a .176 batting average (12-for-68), .222 on-base percentage and .265 slugging percentage in 24 games dating back to Aug. 4.

But the veteran broke out of it in the Red Sox’ 12-3 victory over the Orioles here at Fenway Park.

Red Sox' Rob Refsnyder homers for the Red Sox on Monday. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)Getty Images

“I’ve been freaking so bad, so it’s been a grind,” Refsnyder said. “It’s been a lot of frustrating nights.”

Refsnyder reached base five times and recorded four hits, including two home runs. He had a career-high five RBIs.

“Lot of people behind the scenes have been helping me,” he said.

Refsnyder’s two-run blast in the third inning went 412 feet and 107.1 mph off the bat to center field. It gave the Red Sox a 3-1 lead.

“A lot of credit to the hitting department,” Refsnyder said. “They (spent) countless hours trying to help me out (and) figure some stuff out. So it felt really, really good to kind of break through. Yeah, it’s been super frustrating. Also, Jarren Duran’s been kind of helping me out behind the scenes, just keeping me positive and things like that. So a lot of teammates have been picking me up.”

Refsnyder said Duran knows his swing well.

“I’ve known Jarren the longest out of all these guys,” said Refsnyder, adding that he played with Duran at Triple-A Worcester. “So he’s seen my swing really bad, really good. And he just kind of pulled me aside and just kind of talked about what he was seeing. Just some pointers and things like that. But just trying to keep me in a positive state of mind. This game will beat you down. ... Jarren’s one of our leaders. And Raffy (Devers), for sure. So it was great to have somebody like Jarren keep me going.”

Refsnyder said pitchers have been attacking him with low-and-away changeups and fastballs up in the zone.

“So just trying to be in that position to cover both, honestly,” Refsnyder said. “A lot of posture things.”

The Red Sox have struggled against lefties this year. They entered 16-24 against left-handed starters but they jumped on Orioles southpaw Cade Povich who allowed four runs in 4 ⅔ innings.

Refsnyder, who batted third, doubled against Povich in the first inning, then homered against him in the third. He drew a walk against Povich in the fifth inning.

“If you want to look at us not hitting lefties well the past couple of weeks, I think you should start with me,” Refsnyder said. “I haven’t done a good job at all getting on base or doing my job. So I’ve taken it pretty hard. Definitely want it but haven’t had the results or the feeling that I wanted. I feel like we stalled out a little bit because I haven’t been able to get on base. So it felt good to do my job tonight. It feels like it starts with me getting on base against lefties. That’s what I’m here for. So I take a lot of pride in it.”