Red Sox’ Triston Casas hits 3 home runs in first 3 at bats

BOSTON — Red Sox’ Triston Casas hit a home run in his first three at-bats in the opening game of a doubleheader against the Minnesota Twins on Sunday.

Casas, 24, drove in seven points in the 8-1 victory.

The record for most home runs in a single game is four, which has happened 18 times in MLB history.

The last player to hit four in a game was J.D. Martinez, on Sept. 4, 2017, playing for Arizona against the Los Angeles Dodgers. No AL player has done that since Josh Hamilton, playing for Texas, did it against the Baltimore Orioles on May 8, 2012.

To loud cheers from the crowd, he bounced into first base in his fourth at bat, ending the sixth inning.

Casas’ first came with two runners on a first-pitch fastball from Pablo Lopez in the opening inning. It sailed an estimated 400 feet and landed in the seats behind Boston’s bullpen.

His second — also by López — was a reverse drive to the Green Monster seats in the third, also with two runners on base, making it 6-0. It marked the second two-homerun game of his career, the other coming on July 22 of last season.

The third strike came from reliever Brent Headrick, leading off the fifth inning, and gave the Red Sox an 8-1 lead.

The Red Sox have won for just the eighth time in their last 22 games and are 23-36 since the All-Star break.

López was tagged for seven runs and nine hits in four innings. He had allowed two or fewer runs in 10 of his last 12 starts.

In their bid to clinch one of the AL’s wild-card spots, the Twins have lost 12 of their last 18 games and are just 11-21 since Aug. 17, when they were 17 games above .500.