This Play In Red Sox Win Was ‘Very Important’ To Rafael Devers

Rafael Devers made history with his bat Monday night, but a play with the glove at Tropicana Field might have meant more to the Red Sox third baseman.

Three innings after breaking the Boston franchise record for consecutive games with a home run (six), Devers and Ceddanne Rafaela teamed up for a web gem to end the seventh. Rafaela fielded a Brandon Lowe bouncer and flipped it backhand to Devers, who channeled his inner shortstop and zipped the baseball to first base to complete a double play.

Knowing the Red Sox have struggled a bit in the field this season, the highlight-reel play at that stage in the series opener meant a lot to Devers.

“The double play for me was a very important play,” Devers told reporters through translator Carlos Villoria Benítez, as seen on NESN’s Red Sox postgame coverage. “We’ve been making a lot of errors. We haven’t been communicating as well and for us to make that play, in that situation, it was huge.”

Monday featured an all-around great performance from the visitors, whose stout pitching, timely hitting and sharp defense led to a 5-0 win. Devers and company will try to make it two in a row against the rival Rays on Tuesday night when they meet for the middle game of their series.

NESN’s complete coverage begins at 5:30 p.m. ET.