Boston Red Sox Memories: Top Five Mookie Betts moments

Over-the-wall catch saves shutout

Betts can rack up assists with the best of them with his strong throwing arm by he’s just as capable of finishing the play himself with a spectacular catch. Sometimes in dramatic fashion to end the game. That was the case in September 2015 when Betts capped a win over the Baltimore Orioles to preserve a shutout for Rich Hill.

Hill was in the process of revitalizing his career after working his way back from independent ball when he joined the Red Sox rotation that season. He went 2-1 with a sparkling 1.55 ERA in four starts down the stretch to earn himself a new contract with the Oakland A’s that offseason.

That ERA wouldn’t have been quite as shiny if it weren’t for Betts. Hill was cruising through 8 2/3 innings, allowing only two hits and a walk to the Baltimore Orioles. He was one out away from a shutout when Chris Davis launched a deep fly ball to right field that looked destined for the bullpen.

Not with Betts patrolling the the outfield. He tracked the ball while carefully gliding back onto the warning track, leaped and made a spectacular catch over the right field wall. Betts nearly fell head over heels into the bullpen but managed to collect himself while securing the ball in his glove.

A two-run homer ultimately wouldn’t have done much damage in a game the Red Sox won by seven runs but it was meaningful for Hill, as it gave him the second complete game shutout of his career and first since 2006.

A walk-off home run is arguably the most thrilling play in baseball but robbing a home run to end the game is far more rare. How many outfielders can say they’ve ended a shutout in this manner? Mookie Betts can.