After slugging their way to a home-opening victory, the Boston Red Sox will look to keep their offense rolling and get another solid start from Richard Fitts when they continue a three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday afternoon.
In their 13-9 win on Friday, the Red Sox scored five runs in the first inning and banged out 16 hits, with seven players recording multiple hits.
“It was great to come out like that, fresh out of the gates, first game at home,” Boston shortstop Trevor Story said. “It was loud. So, it was fun. Fans brought the energy, as always.”
Story and Wilyer Abreu hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning to help set the tone for a new beginning at Fenway Park, where Boston was eight total games below .500 over the last two seasons.
Even earlier, new third baseman Alex Bregman’s sweet swing was on display as he ripped an RBI double in his first at-bat. His 1.240 career OPS at Fenway as an opponent was the highest among all players with at least 75 plate appearances.
“I know how much of a home-field advantage this team has,” said Bregman, who played for the Houston Astros from 2016-24. “To be here, playing for this organization, it’s a lot of fun. I don’t take it for granted.”
The Red Sox also bolstered their rotation with the additions of Garrett Crochet and Friday’s winner, Walker Buehler, in the offseason, but Fitts (0-1, 4.50 ERA) turned in the longest start with a six-inning Sunday effort.
Fitts, a 25-year-old right-hander, held the Texas Rangers scoreless for five innings before allowing two homers and giving up three runs and six hits in a 3-2 loss.
“He was really good,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “Two homers, obviously. That happened in the sixth. But overall, he gave us a chance to win. He has been doing that for a while. He has been throwing excellent.”
Saturday will mark Fitts’ sixth career major league start and his first against St. Louis.
The Cardinals continued to swing the bat well despite taking their third loss in four games on Friday. They posted double-digit hits and at least four runs for the seventh consecutive game to begin the season.
“It’s sick. One through nine, there’s some speed in there and there’s some pop,” St. Louis shortstop Masyn Winn said. “There are guys that are just willing to take their walks. Guys coming in clutch.”
It was another strong performance up and down the lineup, with Ivan Herrera and Brendan Donovan (3-for-5) both going deep. Herrera also recorded a three-homer game — the first by a catcher in Cardinals history — just two days earlier in a win over the Los Angeles Angels.
Donovan had been on an 0-for-15 skid before his homer.
Even with a young lineup, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said he is excited about how things have come together.
“You want to be relentless or tough or play the game hard, and it’s another thing to demonstrate it,” he said. “I think guys in their own ways are putting in their piece.”
After posting the lowest ERA among Cardinals who worked at least 100 innings in 2024 (his first time as a regular starter), Andre Pallante (1-0, 3.60) will look to start this season with a second straight win after dealing five innings of two-run ball last Sunday in a 9-2 victory against the Minnesota Twins.
“I felt really good,” the right-hander said. “Stuff definitely ticked up a little bit from spring training, which is kind of the assumption once you get into a big stadium, get the big league routine, the big league setup. My stuff was really sharp.”
Pallante, 26, lost his only career start against the Red Sox on June 19, 2022, allowing two runs in 5 2/3 innings.
–Field Level Media
