Power surge continues for Devers

Even when the Red Sox lose, Rafael Devers is making them interesting.

In the Red Sox’ 7-3 defeat to the Cleveland Indians, Devers was a bright spot, clubbing two homers, giving him three in the last two games and six in his brief 16-game career to date.

The talk surrounding his ninth-inning, game-tying homer off Yankee closer Aroldis Chapman Sunday night had barely subsided when Devers struck again Monday, swatting a fastball from Cleveland starter Trevor Bauer into the Monster Seats in the second inning.

Two innings later, Devers went deep again – this time, golfing a breaking ball nearly in the dirt and pulling it into the visitor’s bullpen in right.

Two homers, two pitches, hit to opposite ends of the ballpark. Coupled with his now infamous home run off Chapman – the first the closer had allowed to a lefthanded hitter in six seasons – Devers had himself three homers in the span of four at-bats.

“What we’re seeing the last two days from Rafael Devers is nothing short of impressive,’’ gushed John Farrell. “You see the velocity he hit (Sunday) night. Tonight, with another fastball, he goes the other way and the fact that he hit a breaking ball that was basically at his shoetops, to hit it out of the ballpark, that’s very unique for any hitter at any age.’’

Speaking of tender ages, Devers Monday became the third Red Sox hitter since 1913 to with a multi-homer game before turning 21, joining Red Sox legends Ted Williams and Tony Conigliaro. Devers became just the second Red Sox hitters in the last century to hit six homers in his first 16 big league games;  Sam Horn was the other.

As he’s demonstrated since making his debut, Devers is capable of hitting just about anyone and anything. His first five homers had come on fastballs, including Chapman’s 103-mph heater in Yankee Stadium. Monday’s second homer, though, was the first he had produced off a breaking ball.

“I was just looking to hit a pitch that was in the zone,’’ said Devers through a translator, “whether it was a fastball or a curveball. I was just looking to put a good swing on any pitch that was in the zone.’’

From his arrival in majors, Devers never seemed to doubt himself, but his success in the first few weeks has only reinforced the belief he’s had that he can play at the highest level.

“I’m just making the adjustments that I have to,’’ he said, “and gaining more confidence every time they give me the opportunity to play. It’s not easy at all. I’m just trying to do my best to learn from the mistakes that I make and make the adjustments so that the mistakes don’t happen again.’’

At this point, it’s the pitchers who seem to be making most of the mistakes.