Red Sox’s Betts hits 3 HRs on ‘the best night’

12:16 AM ET

BALTIMORE — Whenever Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts watches teammate Mookie Betts swing a bat, whether it’s on a lazy day in spring training or in the ninth inning of a tie game, one thought crosses his mind.

“Every time I see him hit, I think he’s going to hit a home run,” Bogaerts said. “It’s just the presence he has in the batter’s box. I just feel like anything you leave over there, he’s going to hit it out.”

On Tuesday night at Camden Yards, that was mostly true.

Betts had a game for the ages in the Red Sox’s 6-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. He slugged three home runs, one to each field — straightaway center in the first inning, down the left-field line in the second and the opposite way to right field in the seventh. He also made a diving catch to take a hit away from Paul Janish in the bottom of the seventh.

In short, he did it all.

“This is probably the best night,” Betts said when asked where the performance ranks among any game he has played. “First time I’ve ever [hit three homers]. I was able to make a play behind [reliever] Robbie Ross, too. So, for putting the whole game together, I think today was the best.”

Mookie Betts is only the sixth player over the past five seasons to hit a homer to each part of the field in the same game. Rob Carr/Getty Images

Betts …

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