Rafael Devers breaks out of slump, Garrett Crochet dominates in Red Sox win vs. Orioles

Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald on Apr 2, 2025

Published in Baseball

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Rafael Devers can finally breathe.

After five-plus games and 22 at bats, the beleaguered Red Sox slugger finally came up with his first hit of the season, an RBI double to right field in the fifth inning of Boston’s eventual 3-0 win over the Baltimore Orioles.

Devers finished 2 for 4 with no strikeouts, adding an opposite-field single his last time up in the eighth. Trevor Story led the way offensively by going 3 for 4 with his first home run of the season, and Garrett Crochet made sure the Orioles never get off the mat, throwing a career-high eight shutout innings to snap Boston’s four-game losing streak.

After a punchless first week, this performance was much more representative of what the Red Sox expected out of themselves coming into the season.

Story got things started in the top of the second, clubbing a solo homer 394 feet to left field to put Boston ahead 1-0. The Red Sox tacked on two more in the fifth when Kristian Campbell led off with a double and scored on a subsequent RBI single by Ceddanne Rafaela. Then Devers stepped up and drove in Rafaela, and that proved to be all the offense Boston would need.

Meanwhile, Crochet was filthy.

The Red Sox ace, now with a freshly signed six-year contract extension in his back pocket, held Baltimore’s potent lineup to only four hits and a walk over eight scoreless innings. Crochet struck out eight, threw 68 of his 102 pitches for strikes and generated 14 whiffs. Only one Baltimore batter advanced past first while Crochet was on the mound, and the left-hander wrapped up his day by drawing a double play to end the bottom of the eighth.

Wednesday also marked the first time in Crochet’s career he’d ever even worked into the eighth inning of a start. Prior to this season he’d only thrown seven innings three times, most recently on June 30 last summer.

Aroldis Chapman came on in the ninth and locked things down for his first save of the season. In addition to Devers and Story, Triston Casas also showed signs of life offensively by going 1 for 4, and Alex Bregman went 1 for 4 while starting a gem of a double play in the eighth.

The Red Sox (2-4) will look to pick up their first series victory of the season with a win in Thursday’s finale against the Orioles. Tanner Houck (0-1, 6.35) is scheduled to take the mound against Baltimore’s Charlie Morton (0-1, 10.80) with first pitch scheduled for 1:05 p.m.

Giolito update

Right-hander Lucas Giolito (left hamstring strain) made his first rehab start with the Worcester Red Sox on Wednesday night, throwing 2 1/3 scoreless innings while allowing one hit and one walk with two strikeouts. Giolito threw 51 pitches, 28 for strikes.

According to the WooSox, right-hander Brayan Bello (right shoulder strain) is scheduled to make his second rehab start in Sunday’s series finale in Jacksonville.