BOSTON — Red Sox manager Alex Cora said the play left fielder Tyler O’Neill tried to make against the Green Monster with two outs in the ninth inning “is always difficult” to make.
“It was pushing away from him,” Cora said. “I haven’t seen the video or whatever but it’s not easy.”
Trent Grisham’s RBI double off the Monster against closer Kenley Jansen with two outs in the top of the ninth inning tied the game 8-8. The Yankees went on to beat Boston 11-8 in 10 innings Saturday here at Fenway Park.
The hit had just a .090 expected batting average.
“That’s an out in any other place. We play here,” Cora said. “That’s it.”
O’Neill said the ball hit the wall above him.
“It hit high off the wall,” O’Neill said. “Unfortunately just out of my reach.”
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Ben Rice doubled with one out in the ninth inning. Pinch runner Jahmai Jones replaced Rice and advanced to third base when Anthony Volpe grounded out to shortstop for the second out of the ninth.
Jansen got ahead 0-2 in the count against Grisham. He threw four straight cutters and Grisham finally connected on a 94.8 mph 2-2 cutter on the outside edge of the plate.
“Just go with my best pitch right there,” Jansen said. “Didn’t execute. … Tough luck today at the Monster. But it’s a tough loss. So just gotta move on from it and get back tomorrow.”
O’Neill kept the Red Sox in the game with his bat, going 3-for-4 with two homers, a double and four RBIs.
His two-run double in the first inning tied it 3-3 after Boston fell behind 3-0 in the top half of the frame.
His fifth inning homer put Boston ahead 6-5. His seventh inning homer gave the Red Sox a 7-6 lead.
The slugger has three multi-homer games in his past six games. He’s the only Red Sox hitter ever to do that over six or fewer games, per the game notes. He’s also the only hitter in MLB this season with five multi-homer games.
“Timing is in a good spot,” O’Neill said. “So I’m just able to go out there and compete right now. I feel like I’m balanced in the box and seeing it well. So I’m just trying to stay in the strike zone and just do my thing.”
