Xander Bogaerts’s first homer of his career came on Sept. 7, 2013, off former Yankees pitcher Jim Miller. Exactly six years later against the Yankees, Bogaerts tallied the 1,000th hit of his career.
That those two milestones came against the Yankees is certainly a storyline. As Bogaerts said after the Sox’ 5-1 loss to New York on Saturday, he’s come a long way since his days growing up in Aruba. But what made this day particularly special is that he accomplished both those feats on his mother, Sandra Brown’s birthday.
“They [his family] watched the game at their house,” Bogaerts said. “They had a lot of friends over. They texted me today and said ‘Hey you got to do it today.’ My numbers aren’t that good against [Yankees] starter J.A. Happ, but at the end of the day I got one and it was nice.”
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Bogaerts, 26, is just the third Red Sox player to reach the mark before turning 27, joining Tris Speaker and Bobby Doerr. Both are in the Hall of Fame.
Additionally, Bogaerts and Rafael Devers led the majors with 49 doubles entering Saturday. There have been eight 50-double seasons in Red Sox history, but never two in a single season.
The only teams since 1947 with multiple players hitting 50-plus doubles in a season are the 2000 Rockies and 1996 Mariners. No team has ever featured two players with 30-plus homers and 50-plus doubles in a season. Bogaerts has 31 homers, Devers 29.
“Once you’re that close to something like that,” Bogaerts said, “just go ahead and grab it. Some people have some different views on that. Those are the views I have.
Welcome addition
Didi Gregorius didn’t have much to work with when he faced Jhoulys Chacin on Friday evening. He had just 11 career at-bats against him, and none since 2016. Chacin was the Opening Day starter for the Milwaukee Brewers, but was released by them on Aug. 26.
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Gregorius struck out against Chacin to end the first in Friday night’s Sox win. Saturday, he still didn’t have much to say when asked what made the righthander effective.
“He threw me all fastballs,” Gregorius said. “I don’t know much about him so far.”
Chacin steamrolled through all six Yankee batters in two innings. In addition to Gregorius, Chacin struck out Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, and Edwin Encarnacion, setting the tone for the rest of the bullpen.
“He was good yesterday [Friday],” Cora said. “That was a good slider. Good fastball command. He threw strikes. He struggled with command with the Brewers. It’s a tough lineup [he got through].”
Cora said there’s a good chance Chacin can pitch an inning Sunday.
Lin’s lost season
Tzu-Wei Lin was back in the clubhouse to get checked out by the medical staff before going into the offseason.
The 25-year-old utility player suffered a concussion on Aug. 26 when he crashed into the left field wall at Pawtucket trying to make a catch.
Counting the minors, Lin played in only 72 games and had just 272 plate appearances this season because of injuries to his left knee and right shoulder, and then the concussion.
“It was a bad year for me with injuries,” he said. “But sometimes that happens. I feel great now and it’s good to see everybody here.”
Lin had two stints with the major league team and was 4 for 20 in 13 games. He was a helpful player in 2018, playing games at four positions and posting a .744 OPS in 37 games.
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The Sox are hopeful to get Lin cleared to play for Taiwan in the Premier12 tournament, an Olympic qualifier, in November. Taiwan is hosting one of the first-round brackets.
“Most likely he’s going to play in that tournament,” Cora said. “We just have to make sure he’s OK.”
Another Sox prospect, infielder Bobby Dalbec, could play for the United States.
Around the minors
In the Class A Carolina League North Division championship, the Salem Red Sox rallied and scored three runs in the ninth inning of Game 4 against the Wilmington Blue Rocks, but the Blue Rocks responded with a walk-off in the bottom part of that frame to win it, 5-4. That knots the series at 2-2, and forces a decisive Game 5 Sunday afternoon.
The Lowell Spinners will also play Sunday afternoon vs. Brooklyn in Game 1 of the championship series in the Class A short-season New York-Penn League.
Worthy salute
Both Yankee and Red Sox players wore yellow wristbands Saturday as the Sox honored Childhood Cancer Awareness month at Fenway. The crowd greeted children to large cheers as they made their way onto the field. Morgan Platt , a 15-year-old cancer fighter from Avon, Conn., threw out the first pitch to Josh Taylor . . . David Price threw off flat ground on Saturday.
Peter Abraham of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Julian McWilliams can be reached at julian.mcwilliams@globe.com.
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