Red Sox
Yoshida’s run-scoring hit in crunch time propelled the Red Sox to victory Friday night.
Masataka Yoshida’s sole hit of the game gave the Red Sox an eighth-inning lead. It also eventually led to the team’s victory against the Chicago White Sox at Fenway Park Friday night.
The outfielder’s two-out, go-ahead RBI knock broke a 2-2 tie to propel Boston to a series-opening win in a three-contest set versus the visiting White Sox. Rafael Devers scored on the single to make it 3-2, which ended up being the Red Sox’ game-winning run.
Yoshida grounded an 83-mile-per-hour slider from the hand of Chicago hurler Garrett Crochet through the right side. The ball rolled between first baseman Andrew Vaughn and second baseman Elvis Andrus. Struck 97.3 miles per hour off Yoshida’s bat, it froze the two infielders who had no chance at fielding the ball.
The hit marked the 29-year-old’s third MLB career go-ahead RBI in the eighth inning or later.
You can watch Yoshida’s go-ahead single below:
Prior to Yoshida’s at-bat, Adam Duvall cracked a sacrifice fly to tie the contest at two runs apiece. Ceddanne Rafaela touched home plate, allowing Yoshida to get the job done immediately after the fact.
Though Boston is mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, the club will gladly take a win in front of the Red Sox faithful in the team’s final Friday home game of the 2023 season.
The contest was scoreless until the fifth inning when Boston grabbed a 1-0 lead courtesy of a Rafaela sacrifice fly to score Trevor Story.
In 2023 Red Sox fashion, the White Sox erased that lead quickly, scoring twice in the top of the sixth. Vaughn earned an RBI off an infield single which was followed by a Trayce Thompson run-scoring double. Both runs were allowed by relief pitcher Garrett Whitlock who took over for starter Chris Sale.
Sale tossed five scoreless frames, striking out seven batters in the process. The no-decision performance against his former team surely feels good for Sale, who has endured another up-and-down, injury-riddled season. He threw 90 pitches in Friday night’s outing and hit 95 miles per hour on his fastball after seeing a downtick in pitch velocity during his last start.
Reliever Mauricio Llovera took the ball in the eighth inning, holding Chicago scoreless to pave the way for the Red Sox’ offense to eventually take the lead. Chris Martin handled the ninth frame in 1-2-3 fashion, sealing his team’s first victory since Sept. 18 versus the Texas Rangers.
Boston looks to secure the series victory over the White Sox Saturday afternoon at 4:10 pm EST.
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