Betts' first Triple-A homer proves decisive

Mookie Madness has officially started to take over Pawtucket.

Just two days after being promoted to Boston's Triple-A affiliate, Mookie Betts has stolen headlines and made a great first impression on his new teammates and fans.

The No. 5 Red Sox prospect capped a three-hit game with an 11th-inning go-ahead homer to lead the PawSox to an 8-7 victory over the host Durham Bulls on Wednesday.

"I just happened to come up in a big spot, put a good swing on the ball and hit it out for a home run," Betts said.

"[Reliever Braulio Lara] was throwing hard, so I had to get ready earlier. He threw me a 1-1 curveball and left it up in the zone. Because he was throwing 95 mph, you have to be ready for that. I just happened to get a pitch to hit. I had a good feeling it got out, but I wasn't really sure."

The dinger gave the Red Sox the lead, but Betts said the long ball -- while the key moment in the game -- was not as important to him as his fifth-inning two-out single, his first Triple-A hit.

"I didn't really think it's that important," he said of the go-ahead score. "Just to get that first hit was more important than anything. Then it was smooth sailing. I'll probably give [the ball] to my mom. She has my first pro hit and first home run and she said she'll put this one in a shadow box too."

Betts went 0-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout in his International League debut Tuesday, but it didn't take him long to catch up to the curve. After singling to left field and scoring in the fifth, Betts singled again in the seventh before pulling his third hit of the night over the left-field fence to lead off the 11th.

"We were looking for a run and it just happened to be a home run," Betts said. "It made it a little easier than starting a rally and then keeping that rally going, which is my typical way. I would have loved to hit a single and steal a couple bags, but this works too."

MLB.com's No. 52 prospect is no stranger to being in the limelight this season. He batted .355 with 56 runs scored, 34 RBIs, 27 extra-base hits and 22 stolen bases in 54 Eastern League games with Portland before his callup earlier this week.

His production led the Sea Dogs and fans to promote the hashtag #MookieMadness on social media, and the 21-year-old second baseman said the attention did not go unnoticed.

"My teammates [in Portland] told me about it, and once they told me, then my family and friends back home starting tweeting about it. It was pretty hard to miss it," Betts said.

"It feels really good. No matter how good or bad you're doing, if somebody is supporting you and wanting you to do well, it makes you feel good. It gives you a reason to play."

Pawtucket left fielder Ryan Roberts homered, doubled and plated three runs while third baseman and Boston's No. 4 prospect Garin Cecchini doubled, walked twice, scored twice and recorded one RBI.

Red Sox starter Allen Webster allowed a run on seven hits and three walks while striking out four batters over six innings, but did not factor in the decision. Rich Hill (3-0) fanned four batters over three hitless frames of relief to collect the victory.