Allen Craig bolstered his bid for more playing time in Boston’s crowded outfield, hitting a three-run double in helping the Red Sox build a lead the Miami Marlins would overcome with an eight-run eighth inning for a 9-4 victory Tuesday.
Playing in the spring training park he once called home with the St. Louis Cardinals, Craig’s double off Tom Koehler capped a four-run third inning for the Red Sox.
Locked in a six-player battle for one of the five roster spots the Red Sox intend to use for outfielders, Craig is hitting .278 with seven RBI in Grapefruit League play.
“Obviously everybody wants results and hits and RBIs and stuff, but I feel like my process is pretty good right now,” Craig said.
Craig came to Boston via a 2014 trade with St. Louis, which shares the Roger Dean Stadium complex with Miami.
Jordany Valdespin hit a two-run triple and Jeff Baker doubled in two in the Marlins’ big inning. Miami managed only one hit until the eighth.
“We’ve been scuffling a little bit the last couple days so it’s nice to see guys come in off the bench and have some great at-bats and put some runs on the board and have a nice comeback win,” Marlins manager Mike Redmond said.