'We're right there': Red Sox rout Orioles to gain in Wild Card chase

BOSTON -- A stressful two months for the Red Sox coming out of the All-Star break at last took a turn forward on Monday night that allowed manager Alex Cora’s team the chance to breathe a little and enjoy some good fortune.

In a 12-3 victory to open a three-game series against the Orioles, the Red Sox got the batting barrage that had eluded them for the past two-and-a-half weeks.

Veteran platoon player Rob Refsnyder headlined the onslaught by going 4-for-4 with two homers and a career-high five RBIs.

Tyler O’Neill added two homers that soared over the Green Monster as he twice went back to back with Refsnyder. Rookie Ceddanne Rafaela had four RBIs, capped by a two-run double off the base of Boston’s bullpen wall in right-center. Rafael Devers chipped in with three hits.

“If Raffy gets hot, we’re pretty dangerous,” Refsnyder said. “And T.O. has been looking amazing the past week or so. I told him before the game, ‘You’re going to hit the ball hard every at-bat right now.’

“So you get those two guys rolling, hopefully our offense follows along. Those are our two main guys now for sure and I just want everyone to focus on having good at-bats and go down the line.”

Refsnyder and O’Neill actually went back to back twice, marking just the second time in Red Sox history the same two players did that twice in one game. According to Elias, the only other time it happened was on April 19, 1994, when Mo Vaughn and Tim Naehring turned the trick.

As for O’Neill, it was a continuation of a multi-homer trend -- his seventh this season and 12th in his career. Only Yordan Alvarez has as many multi-homer games as O’Neill this season.

The only previous Red Sox players to have seven multi-homers in a season? Hall of Famer Jim Rice in 1977 and Manny Ramirez in 2002.

Why does O’Neill, who has 29 homers in his first season with Boston, hit them in bunches so often?

“I’m not really sure. I’m just trying to go out there and put good at-bats together,” O’Neill said. “Obviously, if I find a barrel early in the game, that’s a good sign and I just [try to] keep rolling, keep the momentum.”

Keeping momentum is something the Red Sox have been unable to do since the All-Star break. They hope that Monday can be the start of something.

Heading into the series opener against Baltimore, Boston had gone 18-28 since the break while losing seven out of 10 and 13 out of 20.

That kind of trend could have easily put the Red Sox well on the outskirts of contention.

But with 18 games left, Boston remains within striking distance, trailing the slumping Twins by three games for the third American League Wild Card spot.

“We’re right there. Still right there. I don't know how,” Cora said. “They show up every day. They work hard, and they did an amazing job offensively today.”

On Sunday, the Red Sox were frustrated not to be able to complete a three-game sweep of the White Sox, who have the worst record in MLB by a lot.

The sting of that missed opportunity was erased on Monday. While the offense was the story, starting pitcher Brayan Bello helped set the tone, albeit with one of the strangest wins of his career.

Over 5 1/3 innings, the righty equaled a career-high five walks, but limited the damage, allowing three hits and two runs while striking out five.

Bello faced seven batters in a laborious first inning, but allowed just one run.

“I think it started in the top of the first with Bello bearing down and stranding some runners out there,” O’Neill said. “That was awesome to see.”

Too often in recent weeks, the teams the Red Sox were chasing would lose, only for them to lose also.

But after staring at 5 1/2 games back as recently as Sept. 5, Boston has inched closer by winning three of its last four games.

“[Three] games back, but I think we’re in a good position,” O’Neill said. “It's all about momentum this time of year. Feels like things are coming together. Pitching has been looking a lot better. Big game like this for the offense is good just for everybody.

“So, you know, anything can happen over the last couple weeks. And that's what it's all about, playing meaningful baseball in September and hopefully into October. We'll see where it goes.”