Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts slamming his way toward history
By Sean Penney
Xander Bogaerts hit a walk-off grand slam for the Boston Red Sox, putting him on the verge of history in a season where grand slams have become a theme.
It’s the bottom of the 10th inning, bases loaded with only one out. All the Boston Red Sox need is a sac fly, a bloop base hit or even an ill-timed error by their opponent. Anything to get that run in from third.
Xander Bogaerts doesn’t settle for the bare minimum. Why knock in one run when you can drive them all home? That’s exactly what he did.
After laying off of a couple of sinkers inside, Bogaerts found his pitch. A meatball right down the middle of the plate that he sent scorching to center field. The ball landed on the ledge inches away from the yellow line that determines the difference between a home run and a double.
Grand slam. Game over.
❌ gave it to 'em pic.twitter.com/VOjTYY6S7k
— Red Sox (@RedSox) July 14, 2018
This was the third grand slam of the season for Bogaerts but the first of the walk-off variety. The Red Sox hadn’t had a walk-off grand slam since Rico Brogna in 2000.
Historical significance
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Only Babe Ruth (four in 1919) has hit more grand slams in a single season. The major league record is five grand slams in a season, shared by Ernie Banks (1955), Jim Gentile (1961), Richie Sexson (2006) and Albert Pujols (2009). Perhaps Bogaerts can join them before the season ends.
Don’t rule it out. Grand slams have become a theme for this season. The Red Sox are tied for the major league-lead with nine grand slams this season. This coming from a team that didn’t hit any grand slams last season.
The addition of J.D. Martinez gets a lot of credit for the power surge in Boston’s lineup. Rightfully so, considering he’s the major league leader in home runs. Yet only one of those nine grand slams can be attributed to Martinez. Bogaerts leads the majors with three. Rafael Devers and Mookie Betts have each blasted two. Mitch Moreland has the other.
Boston’s nine grand slams are tied for the second most in a single season in franchise history. They only year they had more was in 2005 when they hit 11.
The Bogaerts grand slam was a thrilling moment yet it may not even be the most dramatic grand slam of the week. The epic 13-pitch at-bat by Betts that ended in a grand slam sent Fenway Park into a frenzy. It wasn’t a walk-off but it might as well have been.
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This has been a season highlighted by these types of magical moments. The major league-leading 67 wins entering Sunday is impressive on its own but it’s the way they have won some of these games that sends the excitement level off the charts. Saturday afternoon against the Toronto Blue Jays was one of those unforgettable moments.