At the conclusion of the hitters’ meeting, a 10- to 15-minute sitdown in which the Red Sox reviewed how they wanted to attack Astros pitching, Kyle Schwarber offered his own plan.
“Let’s be like Kiké,” Schwarber told his teammates. “Spray balls all over the park. Hit ’em on top of the railroad tracks (at Minute Maid Park).”
Be like Kiké. It doesn’t have quite the same ring as “Be Like Mike,” but Kiké Hernández’s postseason certainly is something Michael Jordan could admire.
J.D. Martínez was like Kiké in the first inning on Saturday, hitting a two-out grand slam off Luis Garcia. Rafael Devers was like Kiké in the second, hitting another two-out slam off Jake Odorizzi. And finally, inevitably, Kiké was like Kiké in the fourth, hitting a one-out, solo shot off Odorizzi to give the Red Sox a 9-1 lead in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series.
The Red Sox prevailed, 9-5, tying the series at one game each with the next three games at Fenway Park. Perhaps the day off Sunday will throw Hernández off his rhythm, but at this point it seems doubtful.
