The unofficial second half of the 2017 Red Sox season got off to a rousing start Friday as Boston shocked the Yankees with a come-from-behind, 9th inning 5-4 win.
Down 4-3 with just three outs to go the Yankees turned to Aroldis Chapman to secure the win. Instead, Chapman allowed consecutive infield singles by Mookie Betts and Dustin Pedroia. After a double steal, Betts scored the tying run and Xander Bogaerts reached first base on an error by New York second baseman Ronald Torreyes.
The Yanks elected to walk Hanley Ramirez. With the bases loaded and nobody out, the game rested with Andrew Benintendi, who worked a five-pitch walk that brought around the winning run. For Chapman, it was the first time he had ever walked in a winning run in a major league game.
For the Red Sox, it was the first walk-off walk since Trot Nixon‘s on September 23, 2000 against the Orioles. Benintendi became the first Boston batter to draw a walk-off walk against the Yankees since Ted Williams over 60 years ago on August 7, 1956.
Friday’s was the first Red Sox win this season when trailing after eight innings.
I was there with my Dad, John B. randall Jr., and saw Ted flip his bat about 40 feet in the air after ball 4!! I was all of about 14 – can never forget it!
Outstanding memory, Brian. Thanks for sharing it here.