BOSTON -- After a tough stretch of five losses in seven games -- including three walk-off defeats -- the Red Sox needed a spark to snap them out of a rut.
What they got was a bolt of lightning off the bat of Rafael Devers, who picked a fine time to smash the first walk-off homer of his career, a solo missile that soared into the home bullpen to lead Boston to a thrilling 7-6 victory over the Braves on Saturday night at Fenway Park.
With one ferocious cut, Devers snapped a four-game losing streak for a 23-24 team that has played below expectations at this point.
It was the largest comeback win of the season for the Red Sox, who came roaring back from deficits of 5-0 and 6-2.
“We needed that one,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “The big boy got a pitch he was able to handle and put a great swing on it.”
Devers hoped to come through with his go-ahead hit with two outs in the eighth. However, Jarren Duran, moments after delivering a clutch game-tying, two-run single, was caught stealing, sending DH Devers back to the dugout and his team back out to play defense.
The same Atlanta pitcher (Pierce Johnson) who had Devers in a 1-1 count when Duran was thrown out was back on the mound to start the bottom of the ninth.
“I went down to the tunnel to do my routine,” said Devers. “I saw how he pitched to Duran. And I know that his good pitch is his slider and I was ready for it.”
The 2-1 pitch that Devers hammered at an exit velocity of 107.3 mph and a Statcast projected distance of 402 feet into the waiting glove of bullpen catcher Charlie Maddon was actually a curveball.
“I hung a curveball to their best hitter,” Johnson said.
Devers destroyed it and set off a much-needed celebration for the Red Sox, who improved to 5-12 in one-run games this season. No other MLB team has lost as many as 12 one-run games thus far. The Braves are actually second in that unsavory department with 11.
Is the worm about to turn for a team that came into the season with great expectations?
“We're about to see,” said Cora. “It’s only one night. I don't want to get too excited about it, but the record is a record, and we know we have a good team. It's 5-[12] in one-run games, but you can see it both ways, right? Like, ‘Oh, they cannot finish games,’ or, ‘They're about to take off.’ And I see it that way. I better see it that way, right?”
In the chaos of the moment, the Red Sox couldn’t properly execute this season’s ritual, which is to put a Wally the Green Monster head on the home run hero.
“Yeah, I brought the Wally Head out hoping to get it on him, but things were going too crazy,” said Duran. “I ended up wearing it during the celebration. But I'm proud of him. That guy is one of our leaders and he's been doing that thing swinging at the plate, so we're pumped.”
It has been a topsy-turvy few months for Devers, who was upset when the club asked him to move from third base to DH following the acquisition of Alex Bregman early in Spring Training.
Just as Devers was gaining comfort in his new role, first baseman Triston Casas suffered a season-ending rupture of his right patellar tendon.
A day or so later, Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow asked Devers if he’d be willing to try first base. Devers was actually the one who brought that conversation to light a few days later in a postgame interview, and he was sharp in his criticism of Breslow and his reluctance to make another position switch.
On May 9, Red Sox owner John Henry flew to Kansas City and spoke directly with Devers. Breslow described that conversation as productive, but Devers hadn’t spoken to the media until Saturday night’s home run.
Devers had no interest in disclosing details of his discussion with Henry.
“Yeah, that already happened,” Devers said.
What also happened is that Devers rebounded dramatically from a slow start. He has reached base in 19 of his last 20 games, slashing .397/.495/.705 with six homers and 20 RBIs.
“He’s locked in,” said Cora. “He's ready to play [when the game starts], and he has his routine down. He really cares about us. He really cares about the team, and he wants to win.”