ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Boston Rex Sox star Rafael Devers set a team record when he homered for the sixth consecutive game in Monday night’s 5-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Devers had shared the mark of five with Jimmie Foxx (1940), Ted Williams (1957), Dick Stuart (1963), George Scott (1977), Jose Canseco (1985) and Bobby Dalbec (2020).
''He's a freak,'' Red Sox winning pitcher Tanner Houck said. ''A guy that can hit any pitch at any time, and to see what he's done, I mean, he's just an incredible player."
He is the first major leaguer to do it since the Los Angeles Angels' Mike Trout had a seven-game streak from Sept. 4-12, 2022.
I'm very proud to be in that conversation with him," Devers said through a translator. ''Obviously we know the type of superstar that he is. He's a future Hall of Famer and superstar, and to be in the same level with him is very nice.''
The Chicago Cubs' Michael Busch had a five-game home-run streak earlier this season.
Tampa Bay starter Taj Bradley struck out eight of his first nine batters entering the fourth, Devers was only the Boston batter to put the ball in play over the stretch, hitting a comeback groundout that Bradley deflected to second baseman Brandon Lowe.
After Jarren Duran had a leadoff triple in the fourth and scored on Wilyer Abreu's double, Devers connected on a opposite-field homer to left.