The Red Sox leadoff hitter went 4 for 4 and launched three solo
homers, along with J.D. Martinez, who also went deep, powering
the Red Sox to a 5-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals.It was the fourth three-homer game for the 25-year-old Betts, snapping a
tie with Williams for most three-homer games in franchise history. He also hit
three homers in a 10-1 victory at the Angels on April 17th. He is the first
player in major league history with four three-homer games before turning 26.
The AL East-leading Sox won for the third time in four games. Drew Pomeranz
(1-1) worked six innings, giving up all three of his runs in the first two
frames. Craig Kimbrel struck out the side in the ninth for his eighth save and
299th of his career.
Betts led off the fourth with a drive to center for his ninth homer of the
season. Hanley Ramirez walked with one out and Martinez followed with a drive to
center, tying it at 3-3.
All four of his hits and three homers came against Royals starter Danny Duffy.
Betts connected again in the fifth, sending a drive just inside the
left-field foul pole into the Green Monster seats. His third homer of the game
also came against Duffy, driving a 1-2 pitch over the wall in center in the
seventh.
The 25-year-old is off to a mind-blowing start with a .365 average, .451 OBP,
.823 slugging, with 11 homers and that may elevate him beyond the star status
he’d already achieved.
