It appeared that Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel was going to blow a save opportunity in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series on Wednesday Night, but the team’s outfielders had other plans.
The defensive help began after Kimbrel threw his first pitch upon entering the game in the bottom of the eighth inning. Tony Kemp sliced a ball down the right-field line, but Mookie Betts made a laser-beam throw to second base (watch here) — throwing out the Astros utility man, who was attempting to stretch the hit into a double.
But the play that Andrew Benintendi made for the final out of the game managed to eclipse Betts’ highlight-reel throw.
The Astros had Kimbrel on the ropes, with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning. There were two outs at the time, but clutch hitter Alex Bregman was at the plate. Bregman lined the first pitch he saw — a fastball — to left field, but Benintendi laid it all on the line, literally, in hopes of making the catch. Rather than fielding the ball on a bounce — which would’ve been the safe play — Benintendi reached out and made a spectacular diving catch to seal the win.
BENNY BALLGAME. #ALCS pic.twitter.com/IBYXxykAls
— MLB (@MLB) October 18, 2018
Had he not made the catch, all three runs likely would’ve scored, and the Red Sox would’ve lost the game. But Benintendi gambled, and it paid off. The Sox now have a 3-1 series lead, and are just one win away from punching their ticket to the World Series.
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