Masataka Yoshida goes 4 for 5; Red Sox defeated Cubs 17-0

BOSTON (AP) — Ceddanne Rafaela homered and drove in seven runs, and Tyler O’Neill also went deep as the Boston Red Sox beat the Chicago Cubs 17-0 on Saturday.

Rafaela, 23, was asked if he could remember a time when he collected seven RBIs in a game.

“That I remember? No,’ said Rafaela.

The Red Sox posted season-best records at home with runs and 21 hits. Boston, which lost eight of its first 11 games at Fenway Park this season, snapped a two-game skid to win for the fifth time in eight games overall.

Rafaela, who played shortstop and batted ninth, went 4 for 4. Masataka Yoshida made his first start since April 20 and went 4 for 5. Bobby Dalbec, who entered the game hitting .093, had two hits, three RBIs – including a run-scoring hit in a six-run fifth inning – and scored twice.

“It was a feeling of relief that I was able to achieve good results,” Yoshida said.

Six Red Sox players finished with at least two hits – a good development for a lineup that has lost several key players since opening day.

“We always want the boys to stay healthy all year round. It is sad that we are missing some players, but whoever is in the lineup and on the roster, we have to do our best,” Yoshida said.

O’Neill jumped on a 3-0 pitch and sent it over the Green Monster for his ninth home run and a 2-0 lead in the first inning. A sacrifice fly by Rafaela made it 3-0 in the fourth. The Red Sox broke loose for six runs in the fifth.

“I loved it. That was professional there,” Rafaela said of his OSG stroke. “It’s the little things that ensure we can play in October.”

Rafaela hit a bases-loaded double that made it 8-0. Wilyer Abreu became the first Red Sox rookie to record RBIs in eight consecutive games when he singled to score O’Neill, who helped lead off the big inning with a one-out double.

“It’s what we work for and what I work for… to help the team,” Rafaela said. “It’s great to have games like this and great to do it in front of these fans.”

Red Sox starter Josh Winckowski worked three scoreless innings before turning things over to the bullpen. Boston’s starting pitchers entered with an American League-best ERA of 2.15, while opponents had a league-high batting average of .214.

Justin Slaton (2-0) pitched two scoreless innings and struck out two. He was one of four relievers brought in after Winckowski.

The Cubs managed just four hits and needed two position players – Matt Mervis and Patrick Wisdom – to record three outs in the eighth inning. Chicago starter Ben Brown (0-1) allowed three runs on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings, striking out four.

“I was in a good place to go out and compete,” Brown said. “Of course it is a tough match, but we have a very strong team. We showed that today. “