VIDEO: Xander Bogaerts, JD Martinez and Christian Vazquez Slug 1st-Inning Home Runs for Red Sox
By Michael Luciano
Forget Coors Field, London Stadium in Stratford might be the biggest launching pad across all of baseball. After chasing Masahiro Tanaka in the first inning during their first game in London with six runs, the Boston Red Sox have plated four against Stephen Tarpley and the Yankees in the second game, with Xander Bogaerts supplying the first two on his 16th home run of the season.
Xander Bogaerts puts the Red Sox on the board first. He's been really, really good this season. #LondonSeries pic.twitter.com/X2Ou3jEkgH
— Tom Hanslin (@TomHanslin) June 30, 2019
Just two pitches later, JD Martinez went back-to-back with Bogaerts, smacking his 18th home run of the 2019 campaign.
Red Sox go back-to-back, as JD Martinez crushes one to right-center. #LondonSeries pic.twitter.com/2buDa2wCj0
— Tom Hanslin (@TomHanslin) June 30, 2019
Not to be outdone, Christian Vasquez joined in on the fun, hitting his 11th home run of the season, giving the Red Sox a 4-0 lead after Tarpley has thrown just 15 pitches.
In his first career start, Stephen Tarpley has allowed three homers in the 1st inning. Boston up 4-0. #LondonSeries pic.twitter.com/k6gKvIdxcg
— Tom Hanslin (@TomHanslin) June 30, 2019
After allowing just one home run in his first 17.1 big league innings, Tarpley has giving up three in one inning across the pond.
Stephen Tarpley had allowed 1 HR in 17 1/3 IP in his MLB career before today. 2 HR allowed in the first inning today.
— Katie Sharp (@ktsharp) June 30, 2019
Who knew that starting Stephen Tarpley against this Red Sox lineup could prove disastrous? Shocking, I tell you.