Rafael Devers, Jarren Duran heating up as five-homer barrage jumpstarts Red Sox

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TORONTO — Jarren Duran didn’t waste any time setting the tone on Tuesday night.

Coming off a series in Cleveland in which he went 7-for-11 over the final two games, Duran smoked the third pitch of the game from Toronto starter Bowden Francis 378 feet to right-center field to set off a home run barrage for the Boston Red Sox in a 10-2 pummeling of the Blue Jays.

Alex Bregman soon followed Duran’s leadoff homer with a solo shot of his own. Kristian Campbell clubbed a solo homer to open the second and in the third Devers opened the frame with another home run. After Bregman and Trevor Story singled in the third, Wilyer Abreu broke the solo homer streak with a three-run shot, giving the Red Sox to a 7-0 lead with their ace Garrett Crochet on the mound.

Per Elias, the only other time the Red Sox hit five homers within the first three innings of a game was Sept. 8, 2009 vs. Baltimore when Dustin Pedroia homered twice, with Kevin Youkilis, Alex Gonzalez and J.D. Drew each homering once.

“It was good,” manager Alex Cora said of Boston’s 10-run outburst on Tuesday. “I’ve been saying all along, they’ve been working hard with (hitting coach) Pete (Fatse) and the group. Obviously there’s a few adjustments that we have to make. Today was a challenge because of (Francis’) fastball, and we’ve been exposed this year to four-seamers. We did a good job covering it and taking it away and then after that, we just put good at-bats after good at-bats.”

The Red Sox have homered in 14 of their last 15 games. But just as important as the homers, the Red Sox struck out just five times on the night. In 16 of their 31 games this season, the Red Sox have piled up 10 or more strikeouts in a game. Unsurprisingly, they’re 5-11 in those games.

Over their past 10 games, the Red Sox have accumulated double digits in strikeouts just three times. Their two-strike approach has improved to the point where Duran, Devers and Bregman all homered when they were in two-strike counts.

“I think it’s more about making a conscious effort not striking out,” Cora said. “When we strike out more than 10 times, the record indicates that we don’t win games. When we strike out less than that, it’s tougher for the opposition. People can say whatever they want about strikeouts. If you strike out 15 times, the defense won’t have to make plays.

“(Strikeouts are) part of (the game),” Cora said. “But not (in) bunches. And hopefully we can keep getting better in that aspect.”

Duran set the tone, and Devers has been on a hot streak of late. In Cleveland, Devers went 5-for-13 with two homers and a double. His homer in the third marked his hardest hit of the season, coming off the bat at 111.1 mph. His previous hardest hit was at 110.9 mph.

111.1 MPH off the bat
422 feet

Rafael Devers, ladies and gentlemen! pic.twitter.com/uMKIAgmKny

— Red Sox (@RedSox) April 29, 2025

“Keep having good at-bats, I think that has been the key, not going out there and not giving up at-bats,” Devers said through translator Carlos Villoria-Benetiz. “For me that has been the key. Preparing every day to have good at-bats and have each at-bat taken seriously.”

Crochet was staked to an early lead, alleviating any pressure he might have faced coming off a rough outing last week against Seattle when he allowed four runs and walked five batters in five innings.

Instead, a Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. two-run homer marked the only blemish on Crochet’s line. He threw seven innings, allowing two runs on four hits along with three walks, striking out six. Of his 94 pitches, 62 were for strikes and he registered 11 swings-and-misses.

Crochet had a few tough calls against him from home plate umpire Mike Estabrook, adding three more walks to his line even if the third one appeared to be a strike right down the middle of the plate. Regardless, Crochet has 18 walks in 42 innings this year compared to 33 walks in 146 innings last year.

He’s not concerned, though.

“I know I still have the three walks, but they’re not like my walks in starts past,” he said. “They were competitive all the way through.”

Unlike in many of his previous starts this season, Crochet had plenty of wiggle room to work with. Coming into the night, the Red Sox had scored three or fewer runs in four of his six starts.

Duran finished the game with just the solo homer in his hit column, but he nearly added a triple to his line if not for an incredible catch from Blue Jays center fielder Daulton Varsho in the fourth. Varsho, who was playing in his first game of the season after missing the start of the year rehabbing from shoulder surgery, raced back on a Duran rocket to center. Varsho tumbled to the ground, recovered and made a ridiculous behind-the-back catch.

Blue Jays OF Daulton Varsho stumbled and still made the backhand catch ‼️

🎥 @MLBpic.twitter.com/yvodGGPlXY

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) April 30, 2025

“That was one of the best catches I’ve ever seen in my life,” Bregman said. “I wish he wouldn’t have, because it would have been a nice triple for Jarren, but you’ve got to tip your hat to him there. That was an unbelievable play.”

After a 10-game stretch of reduced strikeouts, the Red Sox need to keep piling up more games like they’ve had the last few days. Even without the consistency, they’re still among the better offenses in the league as their .757 OPS ranks fifth in the majors while their 61 doubles was tied for first and their 272 hits third behind the Cubs and Yankees. They rank third in the majors in strikeouts, though, and more nights like Tuesday will help curb that number.

“I think earlier in the year, I think we were swinging a little bit out of the strike zone,” Bregman said. “I think guys are, whether it’s not missing their pitch before they get to two strikes or not fouling it off, or just putting together a good two-strike approach where the at-bat doesn’t end in a strikeout or a chase.”

Toronto entered the night having lost seven of their last eight games and the Red Sox have a chance to capitalize on the club, particularly after losing three of four to Toronto at home earlier this month.

Tuesday marked a building block amidst a long season. At 17-14, the win ensured the club would end April with a winning record.

(Photo of Devers greeting Duran in the first inning: Tara Walton / Getty Images)

This news was originally published on this post .

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