Cleveland Indians infielder Jose Ramirez (31) is coming off a three-homer performance in Game 1.
Ramirez hit three home runs, drove in five runs and scored three times while batting third in the lineup against the Boston Red Sox on Monday (Sept. 9) at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio, in a 10-3 win for the 2023 Major League Baseball team.
Ramirez gave his team a 1-0 lead in the first inning with a solo shot to left off Matt Dermody, who played for the NC Dinos last year. In the third inning, Ramirez blasted a two-run homer to center field with two outs to chase Dermody. Cleveland jumped out to a 3-0 lead behind a one-man show from Ramirez.
Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth, Ramirez led off the inning with a solo shot to center, this time off Corey Kluber, to complete his three-homer day. Ramirez struck out swinging with runners on second and third in the bottom of the seventh and was removed for a pinch-hitter in the top of the eighth.
“The final game of the series between these two teams should be named the ‘Jose Ramirez Game,'” Major League Baseball’s official website said after the game, noting that Cleveland hasn’t had a three-homer hitter in a single game since Edwin Encarnacion on May 3, 2018.
He also set another record. Ramirez, who had 198 career home runs entering the day, reached 200 with his second home run in the sixth inning. Ramirez moved into sole possession of third place on Cleveland’s all-time home run list with 201.스포츠토토
As the above website notes, “Ramirez grabbed the headlines for his hitting, but his defense was tremendous. In the top of the sixth inning, Justin Turner hit a fastball down the left field line, but Ramirez caught it with his backhand and threw to first base for the out. There was some talk about Ramirez declining from his prime, but he exploded at the plate today and made up for his 13-game homerless streak.”