Red Sox smash 6 HRs in rout of Ohtani, Angels

April 17th, 2018

ANAHEIM -- In good weather or bad, on the West Coast or East Coast, the Red Sox keep crushing the baseball, as they opened their three-city, nine-game road trip with a 10-1 win over the Angels on Tuesday.
hit three of the Red Sox's six home runs, as Boston became the first team in the Majors to open a season 14-2 since the 2003 Giants. That is also the best record through 16 games in club history, topping the 1904 and '46 Red Sox teams that started 13-3.
"I kept saying in Spring Training, and a lot of people made fun of me when I said we had the best record in Spring Training, but we felt we were playing good baseball," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "We were playing clean and fast, and pitching. They keep rolling. One thing about this group, they show up every day."

, and also hit home runs for the Red Sox. Bradley, Holt and Betts all homered in a five-run third inning, with Holt and Betts going back-to-back.

It was the first time the Red Sox hit three home runs in an inning since June 29, 2012, at Seattle. Betts was the first Red Sox player to hit three in a game since he had the same feat Aug. 14, 2016, at Arizona.
Most three-homer games in MLB history
"I think this is just something we can sustain," Betts said. "I think we have a lot of good hitters. If one guy is off, it seems like the next three are kind of in a groove. If that's how we're going to work, I think we'll be pretty good."

The Red Sox scored three runs and had four hits over two innings against Angels two-way star (2-1), who exited early with a blister on his pitching hand.
"Let's be honest, [the offense] had a great game plan, and they executed," Cora said. "Regardless if [Ohtani's] stuff is there or not, to be able to execute a game plan against a guy like that, who throws 99 [mph] with that stuff, is hard to do, and they did an outstanding job."

Red Sox starter (2-1) gave up one run on three hits over five innings, striking out six and showing he's feeling just fine after an injury scare last week, although he issued four walks. He was removed early from his previous start against the Yankees with a sensation in his left hand.
"It was a little warmer [than the start against the Yankees], but it doesn't matter about the weather," Price said. "You have to go out there and get outs. It was a lot of offensive support early, and that's always huge."

The Red Sox dominated against an Angels team that entered with the second-best win percentage in MLB and had rookie sensation Ohtani on the mound. It was the first time the Red Sox and Angels met while both were in first place since 2008.

The Red Sox were coming off a nine-game homestand, during which the average first-pitch temperature at Fenway Park was 43 degrees. It was 40 degrees or lower in four games. It was 67 degrees at first pitch on Tuesday in Anaheim.
Done with his postgame interview and about to leave, Price stopped at Betts' locker to interrupt the interview of the night's offensive star. Price put his arm around Betts.

"I didn't say Mookie's name in my interview, that's my bad," Price said. "Great job. Great night."
SOUND SMART
After losing to the Rays on Opening Day, the Red Sox have gone 14-1. It is the first time they have gone 14-1 over a 15-game stretch since 2006, when they won 14 of 15 from June 16-July 2.
HE SAID IT
"It doesn't matter if you're facing them or watching them on TV, I never like watching starters go out there and struggle. But he's good. He's going to be really good, offensively, on the mound. He's young, he's getting used to these baseballs, he's getting used to this atmosphere. He'll be fine." -- Price, on facing off against Ohtani for the first time
UP NEXT
Right-hander (3-0, 1.83 ERA) will take the mound for the Red Sox on Wednesday at 7:07 p.m. PT, after he took a no-hitter into the seventh inning of his previous start last Thursday against the Yankees. He has a complete game in each of his last two starts at Anaheim (July 29, 2016, and July 23, 2017). Left-hander (2-0, 1.69) will start for the Angels.