It's been a rocky rookie season so far for Bobby Dalbec, but the young slugger is starting to find his stride at the plate.
Dalbec led the Boston Red Sox to a 7-1 win Saturday vs. the Kansas City Royals with a 3-for-3 performance that included his ninth home run of the year and three RBI. Over his last eight games, the Red Sox first basemanĀ is 11-for-30 (.367) with three homers, twoĀ triples and a double.
Houck impresses for WooSox in return from injury
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
After Boston's victory, Dalbec explained what's been the key to turning his season around.
āIāve been choking up," Dalbec said.Ā "Easy way to create more time for myself and thatās what I needed to do. So if I am a little bit tardy I have that to help me out a little bit. Less length on the bat, less bat to get around into the zone. ...
āI think Iām just on time more consistently. Itās not just a few pitches a game or one pitch an at bat. I think thatās the biggest thing ā being early.ā
In the ninth inning, Dalbec topped his big day off with a 381-foot homer to right field. The 25-year-old hopes to continue succeeding in driving the ball to all parts of the field.
Boston Red Sox
āI mean, I havenāt really been trying to pull the ball this season. Iāve just been late and rushed so it looks like that,ā Dalbec said. āDefinitely something Iāve been talking about is, my bread and butter has been driving the ball to opposite-field gap and in the air to right field. Iāve been working on it. So glad it came about today.ā
Dalbec will look to stay hot when he and the Red Sox take on the Royals in Sunday's series finale.