Ceddanne Rafaela is developing a knack for late-game homers.
Each of the rookie slugger’s last six home runs have come in the sixth inning or later, and his most recent long ball propelled the Red Sox out of their five-game slump on Friday night.
After Enmanuel Valdez drew a walk on a 12-pitch at-bat, Rafaela stepped up to the plate in the seventh inning and crushed the very first pitch of his. The ball soared over the Green Monster and gave Boston a 3-1 lead that stood as the final.
“It’s huge for us in this moment right now,” Rafaela said in an on-field interview with NESN postgame.