Red Sox recap: Crochet dominates with 9 strikeouts; Devers leads offense with 4 hits in 10-1 win over red-hot Royals

Based on Rafael Devers' recent performance, you wouldn’t realize that there is off-the-field drama involving him, which includes his remarks about not wanting to play first base and calling out Craig Breslow.

The Sox’ designated hitter, for now anyway, had four hits while reaching base five times and drove in three runs in the 10-1 win over the Royals on Saturday night, snapping Kansas City’s seven-game win streak and handing them just their third loss in their last 19 games.

Devers collected a single in the first inning off Royals ace Cole Ragans following a six-pitch at-bat. He added his 12th double of the season in the third, scoring Jarren Duran in the process and putting the Sox up 1-0. The lefty slugger added his second RBI of the night with a single in the fifth and another RBI single in the eighth.

It was the 15th career four-hit game of Devers’ career and his second of this season. He finished the night 3-for-3 against Ragans and paced the offense before Trevor Story’s three-run blast that gave Boston a cushion on the scoreboard in the seventh.

Devers led the Sox offense, which collectively had 15 hits as a team. Everyone had a hit in the game with the exception of Kristian Campbell and Wilyer Abreu.

Since his 0-for-19 start through the first five games this season, Devers has been locked in, hitting .311 with a .954 OPS, and has knocked in 28 RBI in 36 games.

“(He’s) a natural,” said Cora. “He knows how to cancel the noise. Obviously, the last few days have been a lot to all of us, but at the end of the day, like he says, ‘All I know is to play baseball.’ He loves playing the game and at 7:05 or 6:10 or whatever, he’s ready to go.”

Story’s three-run homer in the seventh came off a breaking ball from Angel Zerpa that was demolished over the left field wall. This came after he struck out three times to open the game. His big blast snapped a 7-for-65 (.108) with 25 strikeouts, and it was his first home run since April 18.

With his homer, he snapped a 79-plate appearance streak; his last extra-base hit came in Chicago against the White Sox.

Duran, Alex Bregman, and Ceddanne Rafaela had two hits apiece, while Carlos Narváez had a career-high three-hit game, with a two-run homer and a walk.

Narváez’s fourth homer made it 9-1 in the eighth and now has 23 hits on the season.

“We had an aggressive plan on him,” Narváez told NESN’s Jahmai Webster postgame about facing Ragans on Saturday night. “He’s a nasty pitcher; he’s gonna make good pitches.”

THE ACE DEALT

The Red Sox desperately needed a big outing from Garrett Crochet, and he delivered. One day after the Red Sox emptied out the bullpen in a 12-inning loss to the Royals, the Sox’ ace tossed seven strong innings, allowing one run on seven hits while striking out nine and walking one.

Crochet improved to 4-2 with a 1.93 ERA through his first nine starts to begin the season.

His only blemish came in the bottom of the third, when the Royals’ Mark Canha singled into center field, scoring Bobby Witt Jr. and plating the only run for Kansas City.

The left-hander gave the Red Sox length, tossing 106 pitches, his third most this season and allowed Alex Cora to keep arms fresh for the series finale on Sunday, when Lucas Giolito makes his third start.

“To be honest with you, today was very short in the bullpen,” Alex Cora told reporters following the game. “We needed six, seven (innings).”

Liam Hendriks pitched the eighth inning, allowing two hits and striking out one. Brennan Bernardino, who has worked four out of the last five days, pitched a scoreless ninth, throwing just eight pitches.

ROSTER MOVES

One week after Triston Casas suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in his left knee, his backup, Romy Gonzalez, landed on the injured list after a collision at first base against the Rangers.

Gonzalez, who has a left quad contusion, was placed on the 10-day injured list retroactive to May 8, and the team recalled utility man Nick Sogard from Triple-A Worcester.

“It’s a short-term thing,” Cora said Saturday before the game. “He wasn’t bouncing back the way we expected early, so it makes sense just to take care of him. He’ll be alright.”

Prior to landing on the IL, Gonzalez hit .308 with six doubles, six RBI, and a.785 OPS in 17 games.

Sogard started at first base on Saturday night and had a nice pick on a throw from Bregman. He finished the game with a single, a walk, and a run scored.

“He’s a good at-bat, he’s a good defender, he’s a good player,” said Cora. “We’ll mix and match with him and Toro. Today, we’ve got a lefty on the mound, a tough one, and I think it made sense to play him.”

Walker Buehler is inching closer to being activated off the IL and will “probably” pitch in the series against the Mets (May 19-21). The righty is eligible to be activated off the IL on Wednesday, when the Red Sox face the Tigers in the final game of their road trip.

“It won’t be on this trip,“ Cora said. ”It’ll be on the homestand... Probably, the Mets series.”

RUBBER GAME SUNDAY

The Red Sox will look to take two of three from the Royals to begin the road trip on Sunday. Giolito (0-1, 8.38 ERA) will look to rebound following his start against the Rangers, where he struggled in the rain. The Royals will counter with 2024 All-Star Seth Lugo (3-3, 2.84 ERA) on the hill. The Royals have scheduled the first pitch for 2:10 p.m. ET.

Following the game, Boston will fly to Detroit to begin a three-game series with the Tigers, who own the best record in the American League, sitting at 26-13.