BOSTON — Rafael Devers had a career-high eight RBIs, hitting a three-run homer in the sixth inning and a grand slam in a 13-run eighth, to lead the Boston Red Sox over the Baltimore Orioles 19-5 on Friday in the opener of what was supposed to be a day-night doubleheader.
Boston trailed 2-1 entering the sixth, when Ceddanne Rafaela hit an RBI single off Seranthony Dominguez (2-1), Jarren Duran had an RBI single against Gregory Soto and Devers followed with his fifth homer in 10 career at-bats against Soto.
Devers had four hits and leads the major leagues with 47 RBIs. He hit his seventh career slam and his second in a six-day span, his 12th homer this season. The drive came off rookie infielder Emmanuel Rivera, who gave up eight runs and got three outs, leaving him with a 72.00 ERA. Devers hit an RBI single earlier in the inning against Cionel Pérez.
Devers had started the season 0 for 19 with 15 strikeouts.
“The bat has spoken loud and clear since he’s gotten here,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “You keep looking at the numbers and he’s having an outstanding season. He keeps working at it. There were some flaws early on. Spring training wasn’t perfect, but little by little, he’s been building his swing.”
Devers leads the Red Sox with 12 home runs. His eighth RBIs were the most in a game for a Boston player since Mookie Betts had eight against Toronto on July 2, 2015.
“Everybody is surprised about what he’s doing, but that’s who he is,” Red Sox starter Brayan Bello said. “Everybody was also surprised he got off to a slow start in the first five or six games, but we know the type of hitter that he is, the type of player that he is and the numbers he can put up.”
Boston scored its most runs since a 20-8 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Aug. 11, 2021, and finished with 20 hits.
Its 13 runs in the eighth inning are the franchise’s second most in an inning over the past 50 seasons (14 on June 27, 2003, against the Marlins). They were also the most runs by any team in the eighth inning or later since the New York Yankees on June 21, 2005, against the Tampa Bay Rays (also 13).
Baltimore has lost nine of 10 and and 15 of 18, dropping to 16-33. The Orioles are 1-5 since manager Brandon Hyde was fired and replaced on an interim basis by third-base coach Tony Mansolino.
Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman left because of right quadriceps tightness after singling in the fifth inning.
Rob Refsnyder had four RBIs, including a three-run homer in the eighth off Pérez. Duran had three RBIs.
The Red Sox had eight players score multiple runs, one shy of tying the franchise record.
Garrett Whitlock (3-0) allowed one hit in two scoreless innings.
Game 2 of the scheduled doubleheader was postponed later Friday because of rain. The teams will play a split doubleheader Saturday (1:05 p.m., 6:35 p.m.).
Information from ESPN Research and The Associated Press was used in this report.
