Vázquez sets club HR mark, exits as precaution
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ARLINGTON -- No Red Sox player has had a more unexpected power surge in 2019 than Christian Vázquez, so perhaps it's fitting that it was his two-run shot Wednesday night that set a franchise record for home runs in a season.
The 23rd homer of the season for Vázquez was No. 239 for the Red Sox, surpassing the previous record set by the 2003 team. Mitch Moreland and Rafael Devers also went deep in Boston's 10-3 victory over the Rangers at at Globe Life Park, raising the record total to 241.
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Vázquez swatted his two-run homer in the third inning, giving Boston a 5-3 lead, but he was replaced by Sandy León on defense in the bottom of the inning.
The reason? Tightness in Vázquez's left hamstring. He was removed from the game as a precaution, according to a club representative.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora said after the game that Vázquez will probably rest until Sunday, when all hands will be on deck as the team tries to get lefty Eduardo Rodriguez his 20th win.
"He's doing OK," Cora said of Vázquez. "He got tight a little bit on the base hit by Mitch early in the game, when he went first to third. He was trying to stay there until we took Rick [Porcello] out, but I asked Rick, 'How do you feel?' He's like, 'No, just take him out, don't worry about this.'
"He'll be ready probably for Sunday."
Coming into 2019, Vázquez had just 10 homers in 922 career at-bats.
With homers up throughout MLB this season, Vázquez and the Red Sox have joined the power surge. J.D. Martinez has led the way with 35 blasts. Devers and Xander Bogaerts have gone deep 32 times.
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Devers now has 196 hits for the season, inching closer to the 200 mark with four games to go. Devers' double in the ninth inning was his 52nd of the season, a new record for Red Sox third basemen.
"It's amazing what he's doing, with the runs scored and the doubles. He's approaching 200 hits," Cora said. "This kid likes to play. He enjoys it. It's a joy to see him getting locked in again. It's been a struggle in September. Everybody knows that. Everything comes down to controlling the strike zone. When he does that, he's one of the elite hitters in the big leagues."
Mookie Betts, last year's American League MVP, has 29 home runs this year. Jackie Bradley Jr. has 20. Moreland (19), Michael Chavis (18) and Andrew Benintendi (13) are also in double digits.