BOSTON -- Alex Cora saw the damage George Springer did at the top of the lineup when he served as Astros bench coach last year. Springer belted 34 homers, drove in 85 runs and set the tone for everyone else.

Cora felt he could replicate that lineup formula in Boston with Mookie Betts.

"A slugger leading off," Cora said. "(Betts) is going to make contact. But now he understands that he can do damage in the strike zone. He doesn't just have to put the ball in play and get singles."

Cora has had Betts embrace a more aggressive approach at the leadoff spot this year.

It's working.

The right fielder went 4-for-4 with a grand slam, two doubles, one walk and five runs in the Red Sox's 14-1 win over the Yankees here at Fenway Park on Tuesday.

Swing early and swing often. That's the philosophy.

"I think it's an easy adjustment, which is just pretty much swing more," Betts said. "So when I'm in the box, that's kind of what I'm thinking."

Cora phoned Betts right after he accepted the managerial position and immediately began preaching a more aggressive approach.

"It was one of the first things he said to me so I know he must really pay attention to detail," Betts said. "He showed me numbers of my swing percentages. Not necessarily scouting reports, just swing more often."

Betts' aggressiveness was on full display here Tuesday.

He belted a 1-0 96.7 mph four-seamer against Luis Severino to lead off the bottom of the first inning.

He ripped a 1-2 slider for a single in his second at-bat. He took a ball to begin the at-bat and then fouled off a changeup and fastball.

He walked on five pitches in his third at-bat. He swung at the only strike he saw.

He doubled on a 1-1 94.1 mph fastball in the sixth. His grand slam, also in the sixth, came on a 2-1 83.3 mph splitter.

He saw 18 pitches (nine strikes). He let only two strikes go by without swinging.

"He's not swinging and missing, but I told him, 'Hey, man, there's nothing wrong with swinging and missing at pitches,'" Cora said. "It doesn't matter. Go for it. And there was a 2-0 count I think that he took a big hack and he swung and missed. It's just a strike. With his ability he's going to put the ball in play later on in the at-bat. You can see, he's ready to hit.

"It's not like he's taking pitches just to take. That's what we call bad takes. He was taking too many pitches right down the middle. And he can do damage with them."