TAMPA — “See you Friday.”
Those were Alex Bregman‘s parting words Tuesday night after his career-high five-hit game. He homered twice and drove in four runs to lead the Red Sox to a 7-4 victory over the Rays here at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
His wife Reagan will give birth to their second child Wednesday in Boston. So he will be on paternity leave Wednesday, for the rubber game of this three-game series. He will rejoin the Red Sox on Friday when the team returns home to play the White Sox.
“He has a few things the upcoming days family-wise so to have a great day like this is kind of the beginning of a great week for him,” manager Alex Cora said.
Bregman has had 10 career four-hit games in the majors. But this was his first five-hit game since when?
“I don’t know. Maybe high school,” Bregman said. “It felt good. Been at four a few times. But it felt good. More importantly, it felt good to win.”
Bregman went deep to the opposite field twice. He lifted a 366-foot home run to right-center field in the third inning, putting the Red Sox ahead 4-1. He did it again in the seventh inning with a 403-foot blast.
“Just good at-bats, execution. He always has a plan,” Cora said. “He was very calm today in the batter’s box. Didn’t chase. I know it’s killing him right now — he hasn’t walked in a while against a righty. But he’s swinging at the right ones. He’s been very patient. Swinging less today, that really helped. And he had an amazing night.”
Bregman said he and Boston’s three hitting coaches have been working hard on adjustments.
“We just looked at some mechanical things and even after my first at-bat, we made a little bit of a change in the dugout before my second at-bat,” Bregman said. “And just talking with them, working through some things mechanically. And whether it’s timing or some different posture positions or how I’m loading, it paid off today big time. I’m super thankful for all three of them.”
Nick Sogard will take Bregman’s spot on the 26-man roster Wednesday while the third baseman is on paternity leave.
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