Ceddanne Rafaela did it again. The Red Sox rookie crushed his second extra-inning go-ahead home run of the season.
Red Sox' Ceddanne Rafaela celebrates his 10th inning homer. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)Getty Images
Rafaela’s 398-foot two-run homer to left-center field put the Red Sox back ahead, 6-4, after the bullpen had blown a four-run lead.
Jarren Duran followed with a 431-foot, 109.3-mph solo homer. The Red Sox won 7-5 over the Tigers here at Comerica Park on Friday.
Rafaela also blasted a go-ahead two-run homer in the 10th inning at Yankee Stadium on July 5.
Red Sox blow 4-0 lead
The Red Sox’ bullpen couldn’t hold a four-run lead with six outs to go.
Lefty Brennan Bernardino allowed a walk, single and opposite-field three-run homer to left-handed hitter Kerry Carpenter to cut it to 4-3 in the eighth inning.
Closer Kenley Jansen allowed a single to No. 7 hitter Zach McKinstry to lead off the bottom of the ninth inning. McKinstry stole second base on the next pitch.
Jansen struck out pinch hitter Colt Keith swinging for the first out but Jake Rogers’ RBI double against Jansen tied it 4-4.
Jansen retired the next two hitters (line out to center field, strikeout swinging) to send it into extra innings.
Wong goes 2-for-4 with homer
Red Sox catcher Connor Wong entered Friday batting .233 with a .276 on-base percentage, .375 slugging percentage and .651 OPS in 32 games (127 plate appearances) during the second half. He had homered just one time in his previous 23 games (90 plate appearances).
But Wong went 2-for-4 with a solo homer and RBI double Friday.
The catcher made it 3-0 Boston in the fourth inning when he doubled (100.5 mph off the bat) down the left field line. Tyler O’Neill, who had walked and stole second with one out, scored.
His homer, a 368-foot blast to left field, made it 4-0 Red Sox in the sixth inning.
Houck throws 6 scoreless innings
Wong also caught a gem from ace Tanner Houck. The righty tossed 6 scoreless innings and allowed just three hits and two walks while striking out six. He lowered his ERA to 3.12.
Houck threw 34 four-seam fastballs, averaging 94.2 mph and topping out at 96.5 mph. He also mixed in 31 splitters (three swings and misses) and 30 sweepers (four swings and misses).
Duran helps Boston jump ahead early
Boston took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Jarren Duran belted a 404-foot double (109.2 mph mph off the bat) to center field. He took third base on Wilyer Abreu’s groundout to second base and scored when Triston Casas grounded out softly to pitcher Casey Mize who had to come off the mound toward first base to field it.
The Red Sox went ahead 2-0 in the third inning. Romy Gonzalez singled to lead off the frame. Duran’s one-out double put two runners in scoring position. Abreu’s 347-foot sac fly to center field scored Gonzalez.
Saturday’s game
The Red Sox will face Tigers ace and AL Cy Young candidate Tarik Skubal on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:10 p.m.
Skubal, a lefty, is 15-4 with a 2.58 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and .203 batting average against in 26 starts.
Righty Nick Pivetta (5-9, 4.61 ERA) will start for Boston.
