Alex Bregman had a career night for Red Sox before departing for paternity leave
Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman has quite the story to tell his second child. Before leaving the team for paternity leave, Bregman put together a career night for Boston in a 7-4 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Red Sox were desperate for a victory Tuesday after an embarrassing 16-1 loss to Tampa Bay on Monday night, and Bregman delivered in a big way. He was a perfect 5-for-5 at the plate and drove in four of Boston's run, thanks to a double and two homers. The two long-balls earned Bregman a pair of victory laps down the Boston dugout in the giant Wally head to team is using to celebrate homers this season.
For a team that had lost three of its last four, Tuesday was a much-needed boost for Bregman and the Red Sox.
"Yeah, we've had two tough ones in five days now," Bregman said after the win, via RedSox.com. "So obviously it's good to play our brand of baseball today, and that was nice to see. I think guys did a really good job of preparing before the game and taking it into the game, and being convicted in what their plan was and executing."
Alex Bregman's five-hit night
Bregman got the party started for the Red Sox in the top of the first when he drove in Rafael Devers with a single to left field. Boston was up 3-0 in the top of the third when Bregman launched his first homer of the night, a solo shot that went 366 feet to right-center.
An inning later, Bregman drove in Jarren Duran with an RBI double to make it a 6-1 game. He was a triple away from hitting for the cycle when he came to the plate in the seventh, but instead took Rays pitcher Hunter Bigge deep to right field for a 403-foot solo homer, putting Boston on top 7-2. Bregman capped off his night with a leadoff single in the top of the ninth.
Bregman's big night raised his average from .274 to .321, and he now leads the Red Sox with four homers on the season. The five hits were a career-high for the 31-year-old, who hadn't accomplished the feat since his high school days.
Bregman is just the 13th Red Sox player to log a five-hit game, joining the likes of Ted Williams (who did it twice), Carl Yastrzemski, Fred Lynn, Manny Ramirez, and Dustin Pedroia, among others.
Alex Bregman on paternity leave
The Red Sox will not have Bregman's hot bat in the lineup Wednesday night when they close out their three-game set with the Rays. Bregman flew back to Boston after the game to be with his wife for the birth of their second child.
"He has a few things in the upcoming days family-wise," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Tuesday. "To have a great day like this is kind of the beginning of a great week for him."
With an off-day Thursday, Bregman is only expected to miss one game for Boston. Nick Sogard will join the Red Sox from Worcester during Bregman's paternity leave.
Bregman is expected to be back in the lineup Friday night when Boston opens a seven-game homestand at Fenway Park, which starts with four games against the Chicago White Sox.
