Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas (36) runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the New York Mets during the sixth inning at Fenway Park. Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

Red Sox rookie has something in common with Lou Gehrig

By Mike Santa Barbara | Last updated 7/22/23

Boston Red Sox rookie first baseman Triston Casas now has something in common with New York Yankees legend Lou Gehrig after smashing two homers off New York Mets starter Max Scherzer Saturday night.

Per OptaStats, Casas is the second-youngest (23 years, 188 days) player in MLB history to record a multi-home run game off a hurler with 3000 or more strikeouts. Gehrig is the youngest (23 years, 55 days), having posted two long balls off Hall of Famer Walter Johnson in 1926.

It's also the first time in Scherzer's career that he's given up two home runs to a rookie in the same game.

Casas' first bomb off Scherzer came in the second inning, a solo shot, traveling 417 feet to right-centerfield, giving Boston a 2-0 advantage.

CRUSHED by Casas! pic.twitter.com/1zeqNs3RyA
— Red Sox (@RedSox) July 22, 2023

Casas went deep again in his next at-bat, destroying a four-seam fastball from Scherzer 428 feet to center.

TRISTON CASAS TO THE MOON! pic.twitter.com/4MLtmLwCLU
— Red Sox (@RedSox) July 23, 2023

The 23-year-old finished 2-of-3 with three RBI and a walk in an 8-6 Red Sox win. Casas is batting .244 on the year with 14 home runs, 35 RBI and a .814 OPS in 86 games.

While Casas victimized Scherzer several times Saturday night, he wasn't the only one. Scherzer allowed four home runs to Boston in total, including one apiece to Justin Turner and Jarren Duran. The Mets ace gave up five earned runs off six hits, taking the loss to fall to 8-4.

The loss dropped the Mets to 46-52. They're 17.5 games back of the Atlanta Braves (63-34) for first in the National League East and seven games back of the third NL wild-card spot.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox improve to 52-47 but are still 8.5 games behind the pace in the American League East, trailing the Baltimore Orioles (60-38) by 8.5 games. However, they're only two games back of the Minnesota Twins (52-48) for the third wild-card spot in the AL.

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