Red Sox defeat Marlins with strong performances from Crawford, Rafaela, and Duran, who hit home runs

July 3, 2024

MIAMI — Kutter Crawford gave up three hits and one run over six solid innings, Ceddanne Rafaela and Jarren Duran homered and the Boston Red Sox beat the Miami Marlins 8-3 on Tuesday night.

Masataka Yoshida had three hits and Rafael Devers singled twice and drove in two runs for the Red Sox. Each player in Boston’s lineup had at least one hit.

“For as much as we like South Beach and hanging out down here, sometimes you’re worried coming from the off day and be sluggish,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “That wasn’t the case. We had some good at-bats and ran the bases well. And we played some good defence.”

Crawford (4-7) struck out seven. It was the right-hander’s sixth consecutive start of at least six innings and his 12th this season.

Devers’ two-run single in the first gave Boston the early lead. Duran walked and Wilyer Abreu doubled before Devers hit a hard smash that bounced off first baseman Jake Burger’s glove and rolled to right field.

“The offence got ahead early and gave me a lead,” Crawford said. “At that point, my job was to attack the strike zone with as many quality strikes as I could.”

The Red Sox increased their lead in the fourth when Rafaela hit a three-run homer, driving a fastball from Marlins starter Valente Bellozo (0-1) over the wall in left.

Burger put Miami on the board with his leadoff homer in the fifth.

Consecutive RBI singles from Connor Wong and Yoshida in the seventh made it 7-1 but the Marlins got to within four again in the bottom half on Jesús Sánchez’s solo homer and Emmanuel Rivera’s run-scoring single against reliever Zack Kelly.

For Yoshida, it was his first appearance at loanDepot Park since helping Japan beat the United States in the final of the World Baseball Classic last year.

“It definitely brings back a lot of memories, good ones,” Yoshida said through a translator. “I’m really happy that it turned out this way. That I was able to get some knocks today.”

Duran hit a 433-foot solo shot into the right-centre field seats in the eighth. He has gone deep in three consecutive games.

“I’m not trying to do anything different,” Duran said. “I’m trying to get on base and cause havoc. But I’m putting a good swing on the ball and it happens to go out. As you can tell, I’m sprinting around first base hoping it hits off the wall.”

Bellozo was lifted after five innings. He gave up five runs, seven hits and struck out eight in his second major league start.

“It’s kind of an interesting outing because he had eight strikeouts but then when he was hit, he was hit hard,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. “I don’t know how else to put it. It showed that he’s not afraid and will go on the attack. He does not walk guys and that’s what we preach here.”

Before the game, Miami designated veteran shortstop Tim Anderson for assignment. Signed to a one-year $5 million free agent contract in spring training, the 31-year-old Anderson hit .204 over 65 games.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Marlins: RHP Edward Cabrera (right shoulder impingement) will make his fourth rehab start with Triple-A Jacksonville on Saturday. The outing will be lengthened to six innings and 80-to-85 pitches.

UP NEXT

RHP Brayan Bello (7-5, 5.55) will start the second game of the series for the Red Sox on Wednesday. The Marlins will go with LHP Trevor Rogers (1-8, 4.87).