Devers homers for fifth straight game, tying Red Sox record, in 11-3 win over Cardinals

Updated May. 19, 2024 5:32 p.m. ET

Associated Press

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Rafael Devers tied a Boston record by homering for his fifth consecutive game, and the Red Sox beat the St. Louis Cardinals 11-3 on Sunday to stop a season-high, four-game losing streak.

Devers hit a two-run homer in the sixth off Ryan Fernandez, his ninth home run this season.

“It feels good,” Devers said through an interpreter. “It’s important when we win these kind of games.”

He became the seventh Boston player to homer in five straight games, the first since Bobby Dalbec from Sept. 5-10, 2020.

“When that guy gets on a heater, it’s really fun to watch,” teammate Tyler O’Neill said. “He’s been one of the best hitters in the league for a long time.”

O’Neill homered against his former team as Boston rebounded after falling two games under .500 for the first time this season. The Red Sox outhit St. Louis 14-6.

O’Neill received a 45-second standing ovation prior to his first at-bat in the series opener on Friday. He also got a smattering of applause from St. Louis fans after the home run on Sunday.

“A very special weekend for me,” O’Neill said. “I’ve had this series circled on the calendar for a little while. The fans have greeted me with a lot of positively. This has been really heartwarming.”

O’Neill, who played for St. Louis from 2018-23, had two hits and a pair of walks. He hit his 11th home run of the season, a go-ahead, first-inning drive on a 3-0 pitch off Matthew Liberatore (1-2).

Nick Pivetta (2-2) gave up one run on one hit in six innings with eight strikeouts and no walks. He retired 18 of the 19 batters he faced.

“I was able to get in a good rhythm from pitch one,” Pivetta said.

Garrett Cooper hit an RBI double in the second, and Boston opened a 4-0 lead in the fourth on Romy González’s RBI double and Jarren Duran’s run-scoring triple.

Liberatore gave up four runs and six hits in three innings.

Lars Nootbaar homered for St. Louis, which had won five of its six previous games.

Pinch-hitter David Hamilton had a solo homer for the Red Sox in the ninth against Nick Robertson.

St. Louis scored 17 runs in winning the first two games of the series. The Cardinals have homered in seven successive games.

“We’re finally scoring runs and it feels good,” St. Louis infielder Brendan Donovan said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: RHP Giovanny Gallegos threw a bullpen session on Friday. He went on the 15-day IL on May 6 with right shoulder impingement.

UP NEXT

Red Sox: RHP Tanner Houck (3-5, 2.17) will open a three game series Monday at Tampa Bay and RHP Taj Bradley (1-1, 2.45). Houck threw a career-high 112 pitches over 5 2/3 innings in a 4-3 loss to the Rays on Wednesday.

Cardinals: RHP Sonny Gray (5-2, 3.05) will start Monday’s series opener against Baltimore and RHP Dean Kremer (3-3, 3.72).

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb