Red Sox win: Tyler O'Neill makes history, Alex Cora's losing streak ends
SEATTLE - Manager Alex Cora joked when asked Thursday before the Red Sox's season opener why he would use right-handed hitter Tyler O'Neill in right field The Red Sox won their season opener against Seattle 6-4, ending manager Alex Cora's five-game losing streak on Opening Day. Tyler O'Neill made history with his fifth consecutive Opening Day home run, surpassing Todd Hundley (1994-97), Gary Carter (1977-80), and Yogi Berra (1955-58). The win ended Cora’s five-year losing streak as manager. Rafael Devers and Connor Wong each scored two hits for the Red Sox. The win was the first for the team.
Published : 4 weeks ago by Matthew West in Sports
SEATTLE – Manager Alex Cora joked when asked Thursday before the Red Sox’s season opener why he would use right-handed hitter Tyler O’Neill in right field instead of left-handed hitting outfielder Wilyer Abreu against Seattle righty Luis Castillo.
“I’m on a five-game losing streak on Opening Day and he’s on a four-game home run streak on Opening Day,” Cora said. “So analytics. Very easy.”
O’Neill made history. He hit a solo home run in the eighth inning – his fifth straight Opening Day home run – and the Red Sox won 6-4 over the Mariners at T-Mobile Park.
Cora had never won an opening game in five previous attempts as Red Sox manager.
O’Neill, acquired by Boston from the Cardinals in the offseason, set a major league record with his fifth consecutive Opening Day home run. He surpassed Todd Hundley (1994-97), Gary Carter (1977-80) and Yogi Berra (1955-58), all of whom had four consecutive seasons with an Opening Day home run.
O’Neill’s eighth-inning blast, which went 394 feet to right-center field, gave the Red Sox a 6-4 lead.
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Rafael Devers gave the Red Sox a 2-0 lead in the third inning when he hit a 400-foot home run to left-center field. Enmanuel Valdez was on base after a single to lead off the inning.
Devers also hit a 110 mph double as Boston took a 4-2 lead in the fifth inning.
Red Sox starter Brayan Bello allowed five hits and no walks while striking out two in five innings to earn the win in his first-ever Opening Day start. He allowed a two-run home run in the fourth.
According to Baseball Savant, the right-hander threw 36 sinkers with an average speed of 96.1 mph and a top speed of 98 mph. He mixed in 28 changeups and 20 sliders. He got five swings-and-misses, including five with his changeup.
Boston took a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning. O’Neill came down after a force out and got to third base with one out on Masataka Yoshida’s double to right. O’Neill scored third on Ceddanne Rafaela’s ground ball. Third baseman Josh Rojas attempted to throw O’Neill at the plate, but his throw bounced off O’Neill’s helmet. It was ruled to be an RBI fielder’s choice.
The Mariners cut the score to 3-2 in the bottom of the fourth when Mitch Haniger blasted a two-run home run off Bello.
Triston Casas got an RBI force out in the fifth to give Boston a 4-2 lead.
Connor Wong’s RBI single in the sixth made Boston 5-2. It scored Rafaela, who tripled with one out to left field.
Devers and Wong each had two hits.
Topics: Baseball, MLB, Boston Red Sox