Final: Red Sox 12, Brewers 5 - Sox explode for nine-run eighth

Trailing by a run in the eighth, the Red Sox erupted for nine runs with three homers in the inning -- two from Masataka Yoshida, the second of which was a grand slam -- and posted a 12-5 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.

The win gave the Sox the weekend series. They've now won three series in a row.

Justin Turner and Yoshida belted solo homers in the span of five pitches in the eighth. After a two-run single from Connor Wong expanded the lead, and Yoshida cranked a pitch into the upper deck in right. Yoshida finished with six RBI for the game.

Kaleb Ort, who had allowed the the Brewers to take the lead when he wild-pitched a run home in the seventh, got credit for the win.

WHO: Red Sox (11-11) vs. Milwaukee Brewers (15-6)
WHEN: 2:10 p.m.
WHERE: American Family Field, Milwaukee WI
SERIES TO DATE: 1-1
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Brayan Bello ( 0-1, 16.88)  vs. RHP Corbin Burnes (2-1, 4.76 )
TV/RADIO: NESN; WEEI-FM 93.7

LINEUPS

RED SOX

Verdugo RF
Devers 3B
Turner DH
Yoshida LF
Hernandez 2B
Casas 1B
Duran CF
Wong C
Chang SS

BREWERS

Yelich LF
Winker DH
Adames SS
Tellez 1B
Anderson 3B
Caratini C
Turang C
Wiemer CF
Perkins RF

WHAT'S UP: The Red Sox are 6-3 in their last 9 games and 9-7 in their last 16. With a win today, the Sox would win 3 straight series for the 1st time since 6/3-26/22 (7 straight)... Each of their 3 opponents during the current span entered the series vs. BOS with at least a share of their division lead (MIL, MIN, LAA). The Sox are looking to improve to 5-2-0 in series play, including 2-1-0 in road series....The Red Sox rank 3rd in MLB in runs scored (120), trailing TB (145) and TEX (134)...The Sox also rank in the AL’s top 5 in various offensive categories....The Red Sox are 8-4 (.667) in day games, the 4th-best daytime record in the AL behind TB (10-1), NYY (9-2), and TEX (5-2). The Sox have scored 6.75 runs/game with a .275 AVG, .354 OBP, .and .483 SLG in day games, compared to .213/.285/.350 with 3.9 runs/game at night. ...The Red Sox have come from behind in 8 of their 11 wins, most in MLB. The Sox trailed by multiple runs in 5 of their 8 comeback wins, including by 4 runs on 4/15 vs. LAA and by 6 runs on 4/1 vs. BAL. ...The Red Sox have used a pinch-hitter 27 times this season, most in MLB (9-for-24, 4 RBI, 2 2B, HR, BB). The Sox’ .375 AVG (9-for-24) in pinch-hit situations leads MLB...Their 9 pinch hits are 4 more than any other team. Raimel Tapia leads MLB in pinch hits (3)...17 teams have fewer than 3 pinch hits this season. ...The Red Sox are visiting American Family Field for just the 3rd series since it opened in 2001. They are 4-4 at the venue, losing a 3-game series (1-2) from 5/9-11/2017 and winning a 3-game set (2-1) from 6/6-8/2003. The Red Sox are 10-10 vs. MIL since it joined the National League in 1998...They lead the all-time series, 221-193. ...: The Red Sox are an MLB-best 289-199 (.592) all-time in Interleague play. The Sox went 9-11 vs. NL teams in 2022, snapping a streak of 7 consecutive seasons with a .500 record or better in Interleague play. ....Each of the last 3 World Series Champions in 162-game seasons have held an 11-11 record or worse through their first 22 games: 2022 Astros (11-11), 2021 Braves (10-12), 2019 Nationals (11-11). In 2022, the Red Sox did not win their 11th game until May 10, after starting the season 10-19. ....The Red Sox’ 22 games played are more than any other AL team. The Sox are in a stretch of 19 days without an off day from 4/8-26 (8-7 so far), their longest stretch of the season...They will not play on more than 10 consecutive days again until 8/15-30 (16 games). The Red Sox have 5 scheduled off days in May, their most in any month (excluding the All-Star Break). ...The Red Sox lost to the Brewers Saturday night, 5-4, to draw even in this 3-game series. Rafael Devers hit his AL-leading 8th HR, a 2-run homer in the 6th inning to cut the deficit to 5-4. Yu Chang hit a 2-run HR in the 5th inning. The Red Sox bullpen allowed just 1 hit and 0 runs over 4.0 innings: Richard Bleier (1.0 IP), John Schreiber (1.0 IP, SO), Kutter Crawford (2.0 IP, H, 2 SO). ...Sixteen of the Sox’ first 22 games have been decided by 3 runs or fewer...The only team in with more such games is CLE (18). The Red Sox’ 8 games decided by 1 run are tied for 2nd most in MLB behind CLE (13). Their 5 losses by 1 run trail only CIN and CLE (7 each). 8 of the Sox’ 11 losses have come by 3 runs or fewer, including 1 loss by 2 runs and 5 by 1 run. ...The Red Sox faced a left-handed starter in 8 of their 9 games from 4/8-16...Since then, they have faced right-handed starting pitchers in 5 of their last 6 games (beginning 4/17) and are scheduled to face a righty in each of their next 4 games, including today. Left-handed starters are 2-4 with a 5.72 ERA in 10 games against the Sox (25 ER/39.1 IP), while righthanded starters are 5-3 with a 5.24 ERA in 12 games against them (33 ER/56.2 IP). ..Rafael Devers leads MLB in XBH (15)...He leads the AL in HR (8) and total bases (54), and ranks 3rd in SLG (.621), T-4th in RBI (20), T-5th in doubles (7), and T-9th in runs scored (16). Prior to Devers, the last Red Sox players with 8+ HR and 20+ RBI in the team’s first 22 games were Hanley Ramirez (2015) and Carl Everett (2000). ...In the 8th and 9th innings combined, the Red Sox lead MLB with a 1.38 ERA (6 ER/39.0 IP)...The Sox have outscored opponents in those innings, 22-7. The Sox are 8-0 when leading after 6 innings. The Red Sox are 1 of 2 teams in MLB without a blown save this season (6-for-6; also MIA-5-for-5). ...In their last 9 games, Red Sox relievers have posted a 2.02 ERA (8 ER/35.2 IP) while striking out 39 batters and walking only 7. The Sox have posted a 3.31 relief ERA this season, compared to a 4.59 relief ERA in 2022.