Rookie Campbell’s Alert Baserunning Sparks Team to 6-0 Victory

CLEVELAND — Rookie outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela‘s alert baserunning helped propel his team to a 6-0 win on Sunday at Progressive Field. In the second inning, 22-year-old Rafael Campbell showcased his instincts by scoring from third base on a critical play.

With Campbell on third and one out, Rafaela hit a shallow fly ball to center field. Initially hesitant, Campbell did not tag up, but took off for home when center fielder Angel Martínez‘s throw was mishandled by cutoff man Carlos Santana.

“He caught it shallow so I couldn’t go on the initial tag up,” Campbell explained. “But soon as I saw it pop off his glove, I was like, ‘I’ve got a chance.’ So I just took off.”

Red Sox manager Alex Cora praised Campbell’s baseball acumen. “He continues to make smart decisions on the bases,” Cora said. The rookie emphasized the importance of decisiveness while running the bases. “Really just making up my mind is the main thing, not being hesitant when it comes to baserunning,” he said.

Campbell also had a strong performance at the plate, reaching base in all five of his appearances. He finished the game going 2-for-2 with three walks, two RBIs, and four runs scored. His highlight came in the fifth inning with a two-run single that extended the team’s lead to 6-0.

“I’m pretty comfortable. Just taking one at-bat at a time,” Campbell said. “I think that’s my goal every time I go up to bat — is to take a quality at-bat.”