Betts snaps early-season hitting drought

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BOSTON - It was a good sight to see Mookie Betts racing to second base - and then racing to third base.

Of course, it was a better sight to see him get a hit before that, as he singled to start the game, snapping an 0-for-11 stretch.

Betts came into the game batting .191, though a 1-for-4 Monday raised it to .196. He would score on a David Ortiz sac fly in the first inning. He would reach base again in the third inning on a fielding error by pitcher Wei-Yin Chen, and score on a fielding error by Manny Machado.

"The last couple days, Mookie's swings have been a little bit more spring training-like in that there's more rhythm at the plate," John Farrell said. "He was getting pitched to for a couple, three games in a row where he might have been guessing a little bit, chasing some breaking balls out of the strike zone. He was more fluid, you could see the rhythm in his hands, much more free and easy. Usually results in better bat speed and better swings on his part."

And speaking of those errors, it was another case of the opposing team handing the Red Sox second chances that they took advantage of. In a four-run third inning, Boston had just one hit. But four walks and two errors did the damage.

"Again today, the errors kind of gift-wrapped or built into the four-run inning along with some base on balls," Farrell said. "At this level, you give extra outs you're asking for trouble. It's happened to us defensively. Hopefully we stay on the positive side going forward."

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