– by Adesina O. Koiki
A Lot of Sports Talk editor-in-chief
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NEW YORK — Carrying the winning run just 90 feet away in extra innings, the Boston Red Sox’s Xander Bogaerts hesitated on one opportunity to score in what would have been a bang-bang play. A couple of minutes afterward, there was no hesitation from Bogaerts, turning a risky sprint into a game-winning gallop.
Bogaerts scored on a wild pitch with two outs in the 11th inning to secure a 5-4 victory for the Red Sox against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Friday night. After blowing the lead in the bottom of the ninth, Boston’s bullpen held on to secure the victory when Ryan Brasier struck out Aaron Hicks for the final out with Nw York’s automatic runner standing on second base.
Bogaerts, who struck out swinging with the bases loaded in the 10th to end a scoreless frame for Boston, was the automatic runner in the following inning, and he ended up at third on a fly out by Alex Verdugo to lead off the 11th. Christian Vazquez then hit a tapper off home plate to third, slow enough for Bogaerts to try to head to plate, but Bogaerts played it safe and stayed at third as Yankees third baseman DJ LeMahieu made the throw to first to record the second out.
Three pitches later, with the Red Sox one strike away from squandering another glorious scoring chance, Bogaerts threw caution into the wind, breaking for home after a slider from reliever Michael King hit the dirt. Catcher Jose Trevino blocked the ball, which rolled only to the lip of the infield grass, but it was far enough for Bogaerts to motor home as Trevino bobbled the ball in his attempt to try and make the tag.
Boston’s hustle on the bases made up for its shoddy defense that allowed the Yankees to score a run in the ninth to tie the score at 4. Gleyber Torres singled to begin the inning before Matt Carpenter was hit by a Tanner Houck pitch to set up runners on first and second. Isiah Kiner then attemped a sacrifice bunt that was hit right back to the pitcher’s mound, but Houck’s throw to retire Torres at third was wide of Rafael Devers’ glove, allowing Torres to score on the error and tie the game.
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