July 31, 2017

Red Sox Batters With A Four-Hit Game Before Turning 21

Rafael Devers is the fifth Red Sox hitter in the last 105 years to have a four-hit game before turning 21, joining Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Dalton Jones, and Tony Conigliaro.

Devers got his four hits in only his sixth major league game. Ted Williams topped that, however, doing it in his fourth career game.

Red Sox Hitters With Four Hits In A Game Before Turning 21
                  Date             Yr, Days   Game#   Stats
Babe Ruth         July 21, 1915    20, 165     27th   4-for-4, 2 doubles, home run, 3 RBI
Ted Williams      April 23, 1939   20, 236      4th   4-for-5, double, home run, 2 runs, 3 RBI
Ted Williams      June 26, 1939    20, 300     54th   4-for-4, double, triple, 2 RBI
Ted Williams      July 21, 1939    20, 325     78th   4-for-6, 2 RBI
Dalton Jones      May 6, 1964      20, 148     11th   4-for-5, double, 2 runs
Dalton Jones      June 20, 1964    20, 193     52nd   4-for-5, double, home run, RBI
Tony Conigliaro   July 17, 1964    19, 192     80th   4-for-4, home run
Tony Conigliaro   April 18, 1965   20, 101    115th   4-for-4, home run, 3 RBI, 2 runs, walk
Rafael Devers     July 31, 2017    20, 281      6th   4-for-4, double, RBI
Notes: Ruth also pitched in that game (8.1-5-2-2-3), beating the Browns 4-2. He batted 9th. ... Williams batted 6th, 6th, and 4th in his three games. The third game went 11 innings. ... Jones was the leadoff hitter in his two games. ... Conigliaro batted 2nd and 4th. ... Devers batted 6th.

(Jones is also the youngest Red Sox hitter to have five hits in a game, going 5-for-6 in the second game of a doubleheader on July 9, 1965 at age 21, 211.)

Ranked Youngest to Oldest
                  Date              Yr, Days
Tony Conigliaro   July 17, 1964     19, 192
Tony Conigliaro   April 18, 1965    20, 101
Dalton Jones      May 6, 1964       20, 148
Babe Ruth         July 21, 1915     20, 165
Dalton Jones      June 20, 1964     20, 193
Ted Williams      April 23, 1939    20, 236
Rafael Devers     July 31, 2017     20, 281
Ted Williams      June 26, 1939     20, 300
Ted Williams      July 21, 1939     20, 325
[Baseball-Reference's searchable data goes back only to the start of the 1913 season.]

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