Devers, Bregman power Red Sox to doubleheader sweep of Cardinals
BOSTON (AP) — Alex Bregman hit a three-run homer and tied a career high with six RBIs, Rafael Devers had four hits and drove in three runs, and the Boston Red Sox rolled to an 18-7 win and a doubleheader sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday night.
Wilyer Abreu added a double and three RBIs for Boston, which finished with a season-best 22 hits. It was the 14th career four-hit game for Devers. Bregman posted his 10th career game with four hits.
All that offense made for an easy night for Hunter Dobbins (1-0), who scattered five hits and gave up two runs over five innings to win his major league debut. Cooper Criswell gave up four runs in the ninth, but went three innings for his first save.
St. Louis starter Miles Mikolas (0-1) allowed nine runs and 11 hits in 2 2/3 innings. Thomas Saggaese hit a three-run homer in the ninth and Brendan Donovan had two RBIs for the Cardinals. St. Louis extended a team record with its ninth straight game getting at least 10 hits.
In the makeup of Saturday’s rainout, Abreu singled off the Green Monster to drive in the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning as the Red Sox rallied for a 5-4 victory in the opener. Devers, who began the season 0 for 21 with 15 strikeouts, also hit his first homer of the year in the first game.
Pedro Pagés replaced St. Louis catcher Iván Herrera in the first game after he exited with left knee inflammation. In an interview on the ESPN broadcast, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said initial testing came back clean and Herrera’s knee was structurally sound. But he added the injury will require a stint on the injured list.
KEY MOMENT
Boston took control in the second inning, scoring five runs on an RBI single by Ceddanne Rafaela and two-run doubles by Bregman and Abreu. Mikolas threw 41 of his 81 pitches during the inning. The Red Sox had another five-run inning in the sixth.
KEY STAT
The Red Sox scored five runs in the second inning and four more in the third. It marked the first time they scored four or more runs in back-to-back innings since Aug. 24, 2023, at Houston, and the first time at Fenway Park since Sept. 27, 2022, at Baltimore.
UP NEXT
LHP Matthew Liberatore (0-0, 4.50 ERA) will start as the Cardinals open a three-game series Monday in Pittsburgh. The Red Sox had not announced a starting pitcher for the opener of their four-game series against Toronto.