FINAL: Red Sox 8, Miami Marlins 3 - Rafaela Strikes For Ninth Homer, Duran For His Tenth

The Red Sox (45-39) win their second straight with an 8-3 win over the Miami Marlins (30-55), in what was a well rounded game from the whole squad.

The Sox remembered to pack their bats for this road trip, amassing 13 hits, two for home runs off the bats of Ceddanne Rafaela, which was a three run homer, and Jarren Duran for a solo home run. There were two doubles from the Sox tonight, being hit by Dominic Smith and Wilyer Abreu. Masataka Yoshida nabbed his second three-hit game of the season, going 3-5 with an RBI and a run scored. Rafael Devers and Tyler O'Neill were the only other Red Sox to have multiple hits, both having two singles.

Kutter Crawford carved up the Marlins tonight, getting seven strikeouts in the winning effort. He threw six innings, giving up only one run on three hits, the lone run being a Jake Burger solo shot. Zack Kelly made an appearance for an inning, allowing two runs on three hits. Rookie Bailey Horn made his second appearance of his career tonight, pitching the eighth and ninth inning. He gave up only one hit, and he also struck out one.

My Player of The Game: Kutter Crawford - Crawford picked up his fourth win of the season behind some great batting, but he was able to keep the Marlins at bay, allowing the offense to maintain their lead. This was his fifth game of the year and fourth in a row with seven or more strikeouts.

Tomorrow's game will start at 6:40 p.m. before a matinee on the Fourth of July. Probable starters for tomorrow's contest are Brayan Bello (7-5, 5.55 ERA) and Trevor Rogers (1-8, 4.87 ERA).
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   ______________________________

WHO: Red Sox (44-39) at Miami Marlins (30-54)
WHEN: 6:40 p.m.
WHERE: loanDepot park
SERIES TO DATE: 0-0, 0-3 in 2023
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Kutter Crawford (3-7, 3.59 ERA) vs. RHP Valente Bellozo (0-0, 0 ERA)
TV/RADIO: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7

LIVE BOX

LINEUPS

RED SOX

Jarren Duran CF
Tyler O'Neill LF
Wilyer Abreu RF
Rafael Devers 3B
Connor Wong C
Masataka Yoshida DH
Enmanuel Valdez 2B
Dominic Smith 1B
Ceddanne Rafaela SS

SP Kutter Crawford

OPPONENT

Jazz Chisholm Jr. CF
Bryan De La Cruz LF
Josh Bell DH
Jesus Sanchez RF
Jake Burger 1B
Xavier Edwards SS
Vidal Brujan 2B
Emmanuel Rivera 3B
Nick Fortes C

SP Valente Bellozo

WHAT'S UP

The Red Sox Sunday snapped a 3-game losing streak, winning the series finale vs. SD, 4-1. Rafael Devers hit a 2-run HR in the 1st inning and added a single in the 3rd (2-for-4, R, HR, 2 RBI). Jarren Duran hit a solo HR in the 5th inning...Wilyer Abreu and Masataka Yoshida both had 2 singles. Josh Winckowski pitched 5.0 scoreless innings in his 1st start since 5/2 (4 H, SO, HB). 

The Red Sox are 31-16 all-time against the Marlins, including 12-7 in Miami. The Sox' 31-16 (.660) all-time record vs. the Marlins is the best by any opponent in MIA franchise history. This is the Red Sox' first trip to Miami since 2020, when they took 2 out of 3 games from 9/15-17. The Marlins swept BOS in a 3-game set at Fenway Park last season, from 6/27-29.

Boston finished June with a 15-10 (.600) record, the AL's 2nd-best record and MLB's 4th-best...It was their best month since going 15-8 (.652) in July last year. The Sox led the AL and ranked 2nd in MLB during the month in OBP (.346)...They ranked 2nd in the AL in AVG (.276) and 3rd in SLG (.462) and OPS (.808). Boston's bullpen went 7-1 during the month with a 3.54 ERA (38 ER/96.2 IP) and 9 saves (9-for-11).

Kenley Jansen is 16-for-17 in save opportunities this year...He's recorded 7 saves in the Sox' last 17 G after recording just 4 in the team's previous 44 G from 4/21-6/11. His 436 career saves are 1 shy of tying Francisco Rodríguez (437) for 4th-most in MLB history. He's 4 SO shy of tying Billy Wagner (1,196) for 6th most SO as a reliever in MLB history. Jansen is 1 game finished away from tying Kent Tekulve (638) for 13th-most all-time.

Connor Wong is on a career-long 15-game hitting streak, the longest active streak in MLB...He's reached base safely in 16 straight, the longest active streak in the AL. Wong leads MLB catchers in AVG (.327; min. 100 PA)...He ranks 3rd among that group in OBP (.385, 2nd in AL) and 4th in OPS (.856, 2nd in AL).

Two Red Sox prospects were selected to represent the American League in the 2024 All-Star Futures Game: SS Marcelo Mayer and C Kyle Teel. OF Roman Anthony was also selected as an inactive reserve for the Futures Game, and will participate in the Futures Skills Showcase. The 2024 All-Star Futures Game will be played at 4:00 p.m. ET on Sat., 7/13, at Globe Life Field in Arlington, TX.