The Boston Red Sox were going to need a massive individual performance from someone to beat the 100-win Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS, and Enrique Hernández is that someone. Hernandez went 5 for 6 with a home run and three doubles in Boston’s Game 2 win (BOS 14, TB 6), and he continued the hot hitting in Game 3 (live updates).
Sunday afternoon Hernández ripped a line drive single off the Green Monster in his first at-bat, dunked a game-tying RBI single into center field in his second at-bat, then launched a solo homer over the Green Monster in his third at-bat. That gives him eight hits in Games 2 and 3, and seven consecutive at-bats with a knock.
The eight hits in two games are the all-time record within a single postseason (Derek Jeter had eight hits in two games spanning the 2005-06 postseason) and seven hits in seven consecutive at-bats is one short of the all-time record. Only three players have hits in eight straight postseason at-bats:
- Miguel Cairo, 2001-02 Cardinals
- Billy Hatcher, 1990 Reds (the only player to have done it in a single postseason)
- Reggie Jackson, 1977-78 Yankees
Hernández’s streak ended with a line out to third base leading off the seventh inning. It was very well-struck. Even his outs are rockets right now.
Also, Hernández now has five extra-base hits in the ALDS (two homers and three doubles), tying the Red Sox record for a single postseason series. Kevin Youkilis (2007 ALCS and 2008 ALCS), John Valentin (2008 ALDS), and Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski (1967 World Series) also accomplished the feat.
Hernández is of course no stranger to the postseason after spending all those years with the Dodgers. Game 3 is his 62nd career postseason game and he’s had plenty of heroics over the years, including a three-homer game against the Cubs in Game 5 of the 2017 NLCS.
The Red Sox signed Hernández to a two-year, $14 million contract this past offseason. He authored a .250/.337/.449 batting line with 20 home runs during the regular season and he was even better in the second half, hitting .266/.361/.472 after the All-Star break.
