BALTIMORE — For a player with the ability to win a Most Valuable Player Award or two before his career ends, Mookie Betts had played almost a complementary role for the Red Sox this season.
He has driven in plenty of runs from the leadoff spot and hit for power on occasion, but has not gotten on base with the consistency he would prefer.
Betts has even joked that his comparatively modest statistics were weighing down the lineup when compared with the lofty achievements of Xander Bogaerts, Jackie Bradley Jr., and David Ortiz.
“I’m just trying to put it all together,” he said.
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So consider what happened at Camden Yards on Tuesday night more of an omen than an anomaly for Betts, who hit three home runs in a 6-2 victory against the Baltimore Orioles.
Betts belted a solo home run to center field in the first inning, a three-run shot down the line in left field in the second inning, and a solo homer to right field in the seventh inning.
“I never saw a three-home-run game, only on TV. That’s one of the most impressive things I’ve ever seen,” Bogaerts said.
Even Ortiz was awed, especially by how Betts went to all fields.
“Crazy,” he said. “I don’t think I can do that.”
It was the 27th time a Red Sox player has hit three home runs in a game, the first since Will Middlebrooks on April 7, 2013, in Toronto. The 23-year-old Betts is the first leadoff hitter to do it.
Betts said it was the only time in his life, even going back to Little League in Tennessee, that he hit three home runs.
“This is probably my best night. For putting the whole game together, today was my best day,” he said.
Betts had a chance to be the first Sox player with four home runs in a game, but grounded to second base to lead off the ninth inning. The many Sox fans in the crowd of 17,664 applauded as he trotted back to the dugout.
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“A home run would have been nice, but I was just trying to get on base,” Betts said. “They were still a grand slam away. So I’m thinking base runners and score a couple of more runs.”
The Sox had 10 hits in all, including a single by Bogaerts in the seventh inning that extended his hit streak to 24 games. That accomplishment was overshadowed by Betts’s display of power and the tumbling catch he made in the seventh inning to take a hit away from Paul Janish.
“An impressive, outstanding night,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said.
The Sox were without Bradley, who returned to Boston for the birth of his first child, but they won their third straight and opened up a three-game lead in the division, their largest of the season.
“If [Bradley] has a boy, he ought to name him Mookie, I think,” Farrell said.
Video: Betts’ diving catch
#YaBettsBelieve @mookiebetts was all over the place tonight! #RedSoxhttps://t.co/sv6XglvWiK
— Boston Red Sox (@RedSox) June 1, 2016
Baltimore starter Kevin Gausman allowed two home runs in a span of five pitches.
Betts drove a fastball out to center field on the second pitch of the game. Dustin Pedroia then hit a fastball out to left-center.
It was the first time the Red Sox led off a game with consecutive home runs since July 27, 2011, when Jacoby Ellsbury and Pedroia did it at Fenway Park against the Royals.
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In the second inning, Chris Young and Christian Vazquez drew walks off Gausman. Betts came to the plate with two outs and lined a fastball just over the fence inside the left-field foul pole.
According to Elias Sports, Betts is the first Red Sox player to homer in the first and second innings of the same game.
Betts then capped his night with a solo shot to right field off Dylan Bundy in the seventh inning. It was the first time in his career he homered to right field.
Betts now has 12 home runs and 40 RBIs.
To sum it all up... https://t.co/hyfuLJT8ET
— Boston Red Sox (@RedSox) June 1, 2016
“Before today I wasn’t feeling too good,” he said. “I think I surprised myself definitely for the center field and right field one. Left field is my forte. We’ll see what happens tomorrow.”
Eduardo Rodriguez, in his first game since coming off the disabled list, pitched six strong innings, allowing two runs on six hits. The lefthander struck out three without a walk and threw 89 pitches, 61 for strikes.
Rodriguez was able to get his fastball to 94 miles per hour several times and kept it generally at 91-93, which is about what the Red Sox were hoping for in his first outing.
“Threw a lot of strikes, pitched comfortably. I thought he had a very good changeup,” Farrell said.
After the clubhouse cleared, Ortiz was asked how good Betts could ultimately be.
“He has five tools and he’s smart. It’s all on him. I really believe that he’s getting to that point where he understands what he needs to,” Ortiz said.
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“He works extremely hard. He’s got great hands. He knows about the strike zone real well. He knows that the minute he gets out of it — like we always talk about — it can get you in trouble.
“He tries to stick with the plan. Being so young, it’s just impressive the way he handles his business.”
Box score: Red Sox 6, Orioles 2
Peter Abraham can be reached at pabraham@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @PeteAbe.