Final: Red Sox 18, Cardinals 7 - Red Sox score 18 runs to complete sweep against Cardinals

The Boston Red Sox complete their sweep against the St. Louis Cardinals with an 18-7 victory in the second game of today's doubleheader. 

Just like in their home opener on Friday, the Red Sox played a phenomenal game at the plate shattering their season high in hits with 22.

Boston got their offense started early scoring a combined 10 runs in three innings. Wilyer Abreu scored the first Red Sox run in the 1st inning that tied the game 1-1. In the 2nd inning, Ceddanne Rafaela gave Boston the lead with an RBI base hit, and Abreu and Alex Bregman followed with back-to-back RBI doubles. Bregman then followed his double with a three-run home run in the 3rd inning that gave Boston a 10-2 lead.

Meanwhile on the pitching side, Hunter Dobbins made his MLB debut in today's start, and the righty pitched 5 innings allowing 8 hits and 2 runs. It was a good debut for Dobbins who got the call up because of yesterday's rain delay, and he showcased great off speed pitches that resulted in 5 strike outs in the game.

The Red Sox continued punishing the Cardinals at the plate in the back half of the game. Rafael Devers, Carlos Narváez, Jaren Duran, and Bregman all recorded RBI hits between the 5th and 7th innings, and the Red Sox inflated their lead to a score of 18-3 by the 8th inning. 

Brennan Bernardino made a scoreless bullpen appearance in the 6th inning, and Cooper Criswell finished the game on the mound for Boston.

Boston's lineup had another incredible game. Bregman and Devers went a combined 8-for-9 at the plate, hitting 1 home run, 4 doubles, and 9 RBI's. Abreu, Rafaela, Duran, Narvaez, and Romy Gonzalez all recorded multiple hits in the day, getting hits no matter what Cardinal pitcher was on the mound. 

This was an amazing opening series at Fenway Park, and all the doubt about Boston's lineup not contributing offensively has gone away for now.

The Red Sox will stay in Boston as they welcome the Toronto Blue Jays to town. The first game of the series will be tomorrow at 6:45 p.m. Richard Fitts gets the makeup start after the rain delay.

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WHO:  Red Sox (5-4) vs Cardinals (4-4)
WHEN: 7:10 p.m.
WHERE: Fenway Park, Boston
SERIES TO DATE: (2-0), (2-0)
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Hunter Dobbins (0-0) 0.00 vs. RHP Miles Mikolas (0-0, 3.38)
TV/RADIO: NESN, ESPN WEEI-FM 93.7

LINEUPS

RED SOX

Jarren Duran (L) LF
Rafael Devers (L) DH
Alex Bregman (R) 3B
Wilyer Abreu (L) RF
Trevor Story (R) SS
Kristian Campbell (R) 2B
Romy Gonzalez (R) 1B
Carlos Narváez (R) C
Ceddanne Rafaela (R) CF

SP Hunter Dobbins

CARDINALS

Lars Nootbaar (L) LF
Willson Contreras (R) DH
Brendan Donovan (L) 2B
Nolan Arenado (R) 3B
Alec Burleson (L) 1B
Jordan Walker (R) RF
Pedro Pagés (R) C
Victor Scott II (L) CF
Masyn Winn (R) SS

SP Miles Mikolas

WHAT'S UP

The Red Sox take on the St. Louis Cardinals in the second game of a doubleheader.

Hunter Dobbins gets the start, and he will be making his MLB Debut on the mound.