Mookie Betts explains his love for Boston
The reminder came in the form of the biggest hit of the Red Sox' 4-3 win over the Mariners Friday night.
On a 2-1 count, Bobby Dalbec lead off the seventh inning with blast that would give the Red Sox the lead for good. In a stretch for the Red Sox that has been littered with positive signs, this was the latest.
It was surely a nice feeling for the first baseman considering much of his upbringing came in Seattle area. But it was an even better vibe for the Sox considering how long they have been waiting for this version of Dalbec - who finds himself north of .200 for the first time since the fifth game of the season - to emerge.
The home run was Dalbec's fourth of the season, which each one having handed the Red Sox a lead.
The blast also helped keep the momentum Dalbec has discovered on this current road trip going. During the West Coast swing, the righty hitter has managed a .318 batting average (7-for-20) and .930 OPS.
The resurgence has been a welcome addition to the Red Sox' turnaround for a variety of reasons, including because the other first base option - Franchy Cordero - has suddenly started to struggle. Cordero doesn't have a hit in his last five games and is just 3-for-24 on the road trip.
Also helping matters this time around was the rediscovery of another Red Sox power threat. For the first time in 92 plate appearances, J.D. Martinez went deep. The home run drought - which dated back to May 17 - was his longest since 2014.
“It’s just my swing and my bat angle. That’s been the common denominator. That’s why I’ve had success, being able to lift the ball,” Martinez told MLB.com. “So it’s just been grinding on that. It’s one of those things where you get stuck in between.
“What’s the expression? You want to leave the pond when you’re catching little fish to go to a bigger pond and catch bigger fish? And then you get lost along the way. It’s one of those things where I don’t want to get too lost, because I was doing something well [hitting for average] and I was having success. But at the same time, [power] is an important part of my game.”
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