DETROIT (DA) — Ceddanne Rafaela delivered one of his strongest games of the season, going 3-for-5 with a home run and four RBIs as the Boston Red Sox beat the Detroit Tigers 10-3.
Rafaela, Boston’s Curaçao center fielder, scored twice and raised his season average to .276 with a .736 OPS. His performance pushed his season totals to two home runs and 14 RBIs.
The game turned early around Rafaela’s bat. With two outs in the first inning, he hit a three-run homer off Detroit starter F. Valdez to give Boston a fast lead and immediately put the Tigers under pressure.
Boston kept building from there. The Red Sox scored three runs in the first, five in the third and two more in the fourth, finishing with 12 hits in a comfortable win.
Rafaela’s night also continued a strong run in center field. He had entered the game after starting 30 of Boston’s first 35 games in center and reaching base safely in 24 of them. With another three-hit performance, he extended his hitting streak to two games and continued his productive history against Detroit.
The Red Sox also got three hits from Wilyer Abreu, while Boston’s lineup produced 10 RBIs and forced Detroit’s bullpen into extended work after Valdez allowed 10 runs, seven earned, over three innings.
Brayan Bello earned the win for Boston, allowing one run on four hits in seven innings. He struck out seven and walked one.
Detroit finished with seven hits. Matt Vierling homered for the Tigers, while Dillon Dingler and Wenceel Pérez also drove in runs.
The Red Sox improved to 15-21. The Tigers fell to 18-19.