Jarren Duran Hits First Career Home Run In Red Sox-Blue Jays Game
BOSTON (CBS) -- Jarren Duran made his MLB debut on Saturday. He recorded his first career hit on the first pitch he saw.
A couple of days later, Duran now has his first big league home run.
Duran slid up in the batting order on Monday night, batting second as the Red Sox opened a three-game series vs. the Blue Jays in Buffalo. He rewarded Alex Cora's confidence immediately, belting an opposite-field, two-run home run in the first inning off Toronto starter Ross Stripling.
The homer came on a 2-0 fastball thrown on the outer part of the plate against the lefty. Duran went with the pitch and sent it deep to left field, just barely clearing the fence.
Enrique Hernandez, who led off the game with a double, came around to score as Duran circled the bases.
"It was a good pitch, up and away. I'm glad I stayed with it and didn't try to do too much," Duran said of his homer after Boston's 13-4 win. "I didn't think I got it. I thought maybe over his head for a double, but it felt good trotting the bases, feeling like I did something to help the team get some runs on the board early."
After recording that single on Saturday vs. Gerritt Cole, Duran went 0-for-5 with a walk and three strikeouts for the remainder of Boston's series vs. the Yankees. He batted sixth in Saturday's loss and seventh on Sunday before moving up to the two-hole for Monday night's game.
Duran's homer was just the start of a big opening frame for the visiting Red Sox, as Hunter Renfroe later crushed a grand slam to left-center field to give Boston a 6-0 lead with just one out in the inning. Hernandez later hit a two-run home run, making it an 8-0 lead for Boston in the first inning.
Duran ended up recording the final out of the inning, when he laced a line drive to third base off left-handed reliever Anthony Kay. His first-inning homer was the rookie's only hit in his six at-bats.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic and some Canadian restrictions on travel, the Blue Jays are currently playing home games in Buffalo, after playing home games earlier this season in Dunedin, Florida.
The 24-year-old Duran added power to his game this year. After hitting three total home runs in college and five home runs in 132 minor league games in 2019, Duran blasted 15 home runs in 46 games for Worcester this year, his first season in Triple-A. He missed out on a trip to the Olympics with Team USA because the Red Sox had plans to call him up to the majors. Thus far, he's making the most of that opportunity.
