Boston Red Sox: Hunter Renfroe, Sox overcome royal pains in comeback win

The Boston Red Sox showed the Kansas City Royals that they are the kings of comebacks Monday night at Fenway Park with an exciting 6-5 victory after falling behind 5-1 early in the game.

As the Red Sox offense continues to be one of the upbeat stories of the first half of the Major League Baseball season, the up-and-down struggles of starting pitcher Garrett Richards was on full display through the first six innings of the season.

In challenging himself to figure things out on the mound and making adjustments, Richards did just that after giving up five runs, including three homers in the first two innings of the game.

Luckily, it was early enough in the game to make some adjustments and an early lead that was not insurmountable for the Red Sox offense to overcome.

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How did the 33-year-old pitcher adjust?

A slow curveball and a split changeup he has never thrown before ended up becoming his secret weapon in shutting down the Royals the rest of the way.

"“I’m figuring it out.  I’m starting to throw a changeup now that I learned this week in about three days.  Now I’m throwing a curveball at 60 miles an hour, which is new to me.  Just trying to figure out how to pitch again, man,” Richards said following the game, as transcribed by NESN.  “I’ve never had to make this kind of change in my whole career so I’m just trying to make the best of it and give us a chance to win.”"

In struggling to record outs since the league’s crackdown on using substances other than rosin bag, the $10 million investment known as Garrett Richards has had to reinvent his approach on the mound both physically and mentally.

On this night, he got things under control and found his grip before things got too out of control in the game.  After the first two innings on the mound, it was certainly trending that way until…

Hunter Renfroe, Boston Red Sox bats turn it on

The Boston Red Sox had the Royals right where they wanted them.

Down early, the Sox offense got it going in completing the team’s 26th comeback win of the season.

Despite the early pitching struggles of Richards, you can just feel a comeback in the air as Kike Hernandez hit a solo homerun in the bottom of the first inning to put the Red Sox on the board.

Red Sox $3 million outfielder Hunter Renfroe took care of the rest.  With a two-homer game, the veteran outfielder not only kept his team in the game but put them ahead for good with a blast that hit a sign behind the Monster Seats.

With a combination of stellar defense and steady offense, Renfroe has not only been a surprise for the Red Sox this season, but one of the major reasons the team sits atop the American League East with a 48-31 record.  In finding ways to contribute to the team’s success, you better believe it feels good for a player who didn’t figure to be a big part of the team’s plans in 2021.

"“I feel good.  I like where I am right now,” Renfroe said following the game, via MLB.com.  “I’m swinging the bat well, seeing the ball well.  I think that’s the biggest part is seeing the ball before you hit it.  I’m seeing the ball as good as I have in a long time, so I’ve just got to keep going, stay with my approach, stay with my routine in the cage and just try to stay healthy.”"

In all, Hunter Renfroe just has to keep doing what he has been doing.  In a season in which the team didn’t have big plans for him, he has become such a vital part both offensively and defensively.

On Monday night, Renfroe saved Richards from another disastrous loss and propelled the first place Red Sox to a royal comeback on a humid night in Fenway Park.