On Monday night, the entire Boston Red Sox starting lineup had just five hits in an embarrassing loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.
It apparently woke up Boston's prize free agent signing.
Third baseman Alex Bregman matched that total all by himself on Tuesday, the first time in his Major League career that he's gotten five hits in one game. Hall of Famer Wade Boggs, considered to be the best third baseman in franchise history, did it three times in his career, but many great major leaguers never reach the milestone at all.
Bregman got the scoring started with a single to left field in the top of the first, bringing around Rafael Devers, who doubled right before him.
The Red Sox were up 3-1 in the third when Bregman came back to the plate, and this time he launched a slider right over the wall in right-center for his third home run of the season.
In the fourth, Bregman ripped a double to left that scored Jarren Duran, making it 6-1 Sox. Then in the seventh, lightning struck twice:
Bregman would add another single in the ninth, finishing the night just shy of a cycle. Still, his four RBI were the difference in a 7-4 Boston victory.
Topping off the night is some great personal news for Bregman - his second child is due tomorrow, so he's heading back home for now:
Alex Bregman won't play tomorrow. He will fly back to Boston for the birth of his second child.
Bregman is just getting started with his three-year, $120 million contract he signed back in February, but with a few more performances like this, he could very well choose to opt out at the end of the year and get paid even more. For now though, he and the Red Sox are focused on a return to the Postseason and taking the AL East crown from the hated New York Yankees.
