CLEVELAND (AP) - Rafael Devers wasn’t trying to make history, it just happened.
Boston’s third baseman became the first major league player to record six hits and four doubles in the same game as the Red Sox beat the Cleveland Indians 7-6 in 10 innings on Tuesday night.
Devers went 6 for 6 and drove in three runs as the Red Sox won after blowing a 6-1 lead.
The 22-year-old doubled in the first, fifth, sixth and 10th. He added singles in the third and eighth.
“Every single ball was a scud missile,” said Jackie Bradley Jr., who homered in the 10th as the Red Sox won for just the fourth time in 16 games. “He hit it hard every time.”
Devers also made a costly error that allowed the Indians to close to within 6-5 in the seventh.
“I just tried to have a good at-bat every turn,” Devers said. “I’m always confident, every single day, every at-bat. Sometimes I don’t have a good game when I feel that way.”
Red Sox starter Chris Sale, who made his own history by getting to 2,000 career strikeouts faster than any pitcher, was more impressed with Devers’ accomplishment.
“Unbelievable,” he said. “That’s (his stats) really all that needs to be said. He’s one of the best players in the league and he’s got a chance to be MVP. That’s pretty special.”
Devers was not upset with his error, when he couldn’t handle a routine grounder.
“It happened,” he said. “It’s an error that as soon as it happened, I tried to turn the page. It’s a play I should have made. Not to make excuses, but it did take a weird hop.”
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