Yahoo Sports Jackie Bradley Jr.'s insane home run robbery saves Red Sox from crushing defeat
Boston sports fans needed a reason to smile Wednesday night on the heels of the Celtics elimination from the NBA playoffs.
Red Sox center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. provided that very reason while also producing one of the most incredible game-saving, home run-robbing catches you will ever see.
Bradley scaled the outfield wall at Orioles Park in Baltimore to rob Trey Mancini of what would have been a walk-off home run in the 11th inning.
The Red Sox would go on to score one run in the 12th inning and win the game 2-1. That made Bradley’s catch all the more important and could even frame it as a turning point in their season.
Boston was threatening to waste a dominant effort from ace Chris Sale. The previously struggling left-hander overwhelmed the Orioles on his way to 14 strikeouts. He carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning and recorded an immaculate inning in the seventh.
Simply put, if Boston lost a game to the worst team in baseball with Sale pitching his best game of the season, it would have been crushing. Instead, the reigning World Series champions found new life and will now hope this moment will launch them.
Where does the catch rank in Bradley’s career?
Every season Bradley puts together a defensive highlight reel that’s matched by few others. As for where he personally feels this catch ranks among his finest?
Jackie on ranking that catch:
"It's up there." #RedSox— Guerin Austin (@guerinaustin) May 9, 2019
We’d like to say he’s underplaying it a bit. But honestly, it’s pretty difficult to separate of any of his best six or eight catches from one another.
Bradley had Red Sox fans help him rank his best catches last season. A quick review of that impressive list has us echoing his thoughts. It’s up there.
Where does the catch rank in MLB in 2019?
One name that is usually in the conversation for defensive play of the year is now San Francisco Giants center fielder Kevin Pillar. Ironically, it was just four days ago that Pillar made a homer-robbing catch that seemed destined to be the best in MLB this season.
Considering the effort, the circumstances, the timing and what it could mean to Boston’s season, Bradley’s catch may have already vaulted it.
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