It took a few games, but Adley Rutschman is beginning to look like the impact trade-deadline addition the Red Sox expected.
Rutschman drove in three runs and launched his first home run in a Red Sox uniform Tuesday night as Boston overcame an early blown lead and pulled away for a 9-4 win over the Diamondbacks at Fenway Park.
The three-time All-Star went 2-for-4 with a walk, opening the scoring with a two-run single in the first before crushing a game-tying solo homer in the third.
The blast left Rutschman’s bat at 107 mph and traveled 401 feet down the right-field line, clearing Pesky’s Pole for his ninth homer of the season.
It was his best game since coming over from Baltimore at the trade deadline.
After going just 1-for-17 with an infield single and nine strikeouts during Boston’s road trip, Rutschman has started to find his timing at Fenway. He has four hits over the first two games of the series, including two for extra bases.
That’s an encouraging development for a player who was activated after just two rehab games with Triple-A Worcester following his stint on the injured list with left wrist inflammation.
Boston needed his big night after a 3-0 lead disappeared in one swing.
The Red Sox jumped on veteran right-hander Merrill Kelly immediately. Nick Sogard singled, Ceddanne Rafaela reached on a bunt single and Wilyer Abreu walked to load the bases in the first.
Rutschman followed with a two-run single into shallow left, and Caleb Durbin’s sacrifice fly made it 3-0.
It looked like Boston might be headed for another runaway win after pounding Arizona 11-1 in Monday’s opener.
Instead, Ranger Suarez gave it all back in the third.
Suarez retired the first two hitters before allowing consecutive soft singles and hitting Corbin Carroll to load the bases. He then fell behind Gabriel Moreno 2-0 and left a sinker over the plate.
Moreno crushed it into the Monster seats for a grand slam, suddenly putting Arizona ahead 4-3.
“Just happened to leave a pitch in hittable area with three guys on base and Moreno capitalized,” Tracy said of Suarez’s third inning on Tuesday night. “But overall, I thought it was good.”
To Boston’s credit, the response was
