For two months the Red Sox missed catcher Ryan Hanigan’s defense.
But in his third game back from injury yesterday, Hanigan made an impact with his bat by going 3-for-3 with two RBI in the Sox’ 5-4 win against the Houston Astros at Fenway Park.
All three of the hits were singles, and all three were line drives to right field.
“You know I try and hit the ball where it’s pitched, really. Those were all away, so I was going to right,” Hanigan said. “If they pitched me in, I would’ve tried to pull it. I felt good, staying on top of the ball. That’s what I was trying to do with all those and they worked out. So I was happy with the at-bats for sure.”
The 34-year-old Hanigan returned from the disable list Thursday. He had been out since fracturing his right hand May 1 against the New York Yankees. His rehabilitation stint with Triple-A Pawtucket and Double-A Portland didn’t inspire confidence in his bat, as he went 4-for-19 (.211) with two runs scored and six walks in seven games.
Hanigan’s first two games back in the majors saw him go 1-for-9. After missing two months, though, Hanigan is still trying to shake off the rust — and his performance yesterday might’ve been the WD-40 he needed.
“Yeah, I feel a little rusty. It’s coming,” he said. “Each game I get better and better. You know I just get into a groove at the plate with my timing, and also catching-wise. It’s the whole package. But I’m more and more comfortable every time. And my body’s getting more and more into catching shape and stuff. So it’s just hard to simulate that, really. But I’m feeling good.”
In the second inning against Houston starter Lance McCullers, Hanigan put the Red Sox ahead 1-0 with a two-out hit that scored Pablo Sandoval from second base. Hanigan singled again off McCullers leading off the fifth.
Against Astros reliever Will Harris with Sandoval on third and two outs in the sixth, Hanigan’s RBI single made it a 3-1 game. Hanigan walked his last time up with one out in the eighth and was stranded at first.
It was Hanigan’s first three-hit game since April 19, 2014, when he was with the Tampa Bay Rays and went 3-for-4 with two home runs. He has hit safely in 7-of-8 games (dating to before his injury) and is hitting .310 (9-for-32) in that span.
Hanigan’s performance against the Astros raised his season’s average from .206 to .242
Just as important as Hanigan’s hitting was his work behind the plate. He caught Sox rookie sensation Eduardo Rodriguez for the first time in a regular-season game and guided the 22-year-old through five solid innings. The Astros scored just once and left seven men on base against Rodriguez.
“Yeah, man, it was fun. His stuff’s nasty and it explodes on you,” Hanigan said. “And it was the first chance I got to catch him, but I’m excited about the future with him. He’s got great stuff and he’s just, he’s got great poise, great command and can do different things out there when the game calls for it. It’s just impressive at his age. So I’m excited about him for sure.”
Rodriguez approved of Hanigan’s work.
“It was pretty good, you know,” Rodriguez said. “He called me the right pitches, and what I wanted to throw when I wanted to throw it. He was pretty good behind home plate for me.”
