Kiké homers for historic 7th straight hit

BOSTON -- It’s difficult to follow a 5-for-6, three-run, three-RBI night in a postseason game.

Kiké Hernández was up for the challenge.

Following his five-hit performance in Boston’s Game 2 American League Division Series victory at Tropicana Field on Friday, Hernández settled for three hits, one run and two RBIs in the Red Sox’s pivotal 6-4 Game 3 win on Sunday at Fenway Park.

Hernández heard chants of “Kiké! Kiké!” as he rounded the bases on Sunday, after hitting his second homer of the 2021 postseason: a fifth-inning blast that cleared the Green Monster while boosting the Red Sox to a 4-2 lead over the Rays.

When you’re hot, you’re hot -- and Hernández is absolutely sizzling. Hernández established a Major League record with his eighth hit over a two-game span in a single postseason.

Hernández’s eighth hit -- the homer off a Pete Fairbanks fastball -- came off the bat at 109.8 mph and traveled a projected 424 feet, according to Statcast. The home run was Hernández’s seventh consecutive at-bat with a hit, shattering a Red Sox record of six that had been shared by David Ortiz (2013) and Hanley Ramirez (2017), according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

The postseason record is eight straight at-bats with a hit, shared by Reggie Jackson (1977-78), Billy Hatcher (1990) and Miguel Cairo (2001-02).

Hernández is the first player to collect eight hits across a two-game span in a single postseason. The Yankees’ Derek Jeter had eight hits in a two-game span across the 2005-06 postseasons.

Additionally, Hernández has tied the Red Sox postseason record for extra-base hits in a single series, with five. The mark is shared by Carl Yastrzemski (1967 World Series), John Valentin (1999 ALDS) and Kevin Youkilis (twice -- 2007 ALCS and 2008 ALCS).

“It's fantastic. The guy's locked in,” said Kyle Schwarber. “To be able to go out there -- the postseason, it's a different beast. You can't compare it to any regular-season game. I feel like it brings the best out of everyone.”

Across three games this series, Hernández is 8-for-16 with four runs, three doubles, two homers and five RBIs. A number of Hernández’s eight hits have come at crucial points to help stoke Boston’s offense after the club’s quiet offensive start to the ALDS:

• First (G2): First-inning double advances Schwarber to third (both would later score)
• Second (G2): Fifth-inning game-tying homer
• Third (G2): Sixth-inning two-out double
• Fourth (G2): Eighth-inning one-out double
• Fifth (G2): Ninth-inning two-run single
• Sixth (G3): First-inning single
• Seventh (G3): Third-inning game-tying RBI single
• Eighth (G3): Fifth-inning homer to make it 4-2

In Game 1 of the ALDS, Hernández went 0-for-4 with one strikeout in Boston’s loss. The offensive resurgence since Game 1 more closely resembles Hernández’s postseason career, in which he has 10 homers, 23 RBIs and an .849 OPS across 62 games (162 plate appearances) with the Dodgers and Red Sox.

Just last year, Hernández played a crucial role in Los Angeles’ championship run, hitting a game-tying homer vs. the Braves in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series to help send the Dodgers to the World Series. Just four games into the 2021 postseason, and the Red Sox are already benefiting greatly from Hernández’s postseason pop.

“You see what Kiké is doing at the plate right now,” Schwarber said. “The biggest thing is to let him keep going up there and keep doing what he's doing. Give him high fives whenever he comes in, hits a home run, hits a big double, whatever it is. Don't mention anything. Let him keep enjoying the moment. That's the biggest thing. We're all enjoying the moment right now. He's doing an exceptional job of enjoying the moment.”