Former Sea Dog Travis Shaw Hits Two Home Runs in 11-7 Red Sox Victory

(Photo Source: Jim Rogash/Getty Images North America)

(Photo Source: Jim Rogash/Getty Images North America)

Former Portland Sea Dogs’ first baseman Travis Shaw played the best game of his short Major League career on Saturday, belting two home runs and finishing a triple shy of the cycle in Boston’s 11-7 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park.

With Sandoval listed day-to-day due to an injury he suffered after being hit by a pitch on Thursday night, Travis Shaw was recalled from the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox to take his spot at third base.

Shaw batted sixth in the Sox lineup against Tampa Bay starter Matt Moore, and went 4-for-4 with two home runs, a double, a single, a walk, three runs batted in and five runs scored. He is now batting .368 (7-for-19) with two home runs, a double, three RBIs and seven runs scored in nine games for Boston this season.

To get his afternoon started, Shaw drilled a 92-MPH Matt Moore fastball into left field for a double to lead off the bottom of the second inning and followed that up with a shot over the bullpens in right for his first Major League home run in the bottom of the third.

After singling in the fifth inning and walking in the sixth, Shaw finished his career day with his second long ball of the afternoon on a 93-MPH Kirby Yates fastball.

The 25-year old Ohio native spent parts of 2012-2014 seasons with the Portland Sea Dogs, where he hit .242/.359/.436 with 30 home runs, 99 runs batted in, and 128 walks compared to 174 strikeouts over 205 career games.

The Red Sox selected Shaw in the 32nd round of the 2008 draft, but he did not sign until being re-drafted by Boston in the ninth round of the 2011 draft out of Kent State University. He was voted a MiLB.com Organizational All-Star for Boston in 2012 and 2014, a mid and post-season All-Star in 2012 for the Single-A Salem Red Sox, named to the Arizona Fall League All-Prospect Team in 2013 and voted Minor League Player of the Week on three separate occasions.

Forrest Mulheron

About Forrest Mulheron

Forrest Mulheron is a 24 year old honors graduate of Eastern Maine Community College with an AS in Fire Science Technology. When not blogging about the Boston Red Sox/Portland Sea Dogs for various websites/publications, he is a full time Firefighter/EMT/Emergency Dispatcher in Bangor, ME.