BALTIMORE — Red Sox left fielder Jarren Duran had a 95% catch probability on Dylan Carlson’s 366-foot fly ball with two outs in the seventh inning. Center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela had a 85% catch probability on it, per Statcast.
Neither player called for it, and both thought the other would make the catch. The ball dropped between them on the warning track for a go-ahead RBI double, putting the Orioles ahead 2-1.
Though it was a costly mistake, the game was far from over.
Both Duran and Rafaela made up for it in the ninth inning. Jarren Duran ripped a leadoff single and Rafaela hit a go-ahead two-run homer to left field, lifting the Red Sox to a 3-2 comeback win here at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
“After almost blowing the game, it’s nice to put a quality at-bat together right there and get on for the boys,” said Duran, who singled to left field.
Three pitches later, Rafaela crushed a changeup from Orioles lefty Keegan Akin 392 feet over the left-center field wall.
“I’m glad there was no mic on me,” Duran said. “I was screaming at the top of my lungs. I mean, I’m not surprised. That guy’s been doing it all year. But that was really satisfying to come back like that and take the lead.”
It marked Rafaela’s third go-ahead or game-winning homer this season in the ninth inning or later. This tied him with Athletics’ Nick Kurtz, Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani and Brewers’ William Contreras for the most such homers this season.
Rafaela said he wasn’t thinking about making up for his earlier mistake when he stepped to the plate in the ninth.
“To be honest with you, no. I was just trying to get on base right there like JD did. Fight to get on base,” Rafaela said. “I think if we’re stuck in that moment, we wouldn’t be in this position right now. So I think we did a good job to let it go and fight for the win.”
Duran said it wasn’t as easy for him to let go of the mistake.
“I’m an idiot. I’m so used to him being an absolute vacuum out there,” Duran said. “It’s all on me. It should have been my ball all the way but I saw him coming hard and I heard his footsteps and I was like, ‘Ah, he’s got it.’ And that’s just on me for assuming that when I should have taken it the whole way.”
Manager Alex Cora helped him get over it.
“AC gave me a pat on the butt and told me to flush it,” Duran said. “So that’s always nice to have AC get my back right there. I always beat myself up but I was able to flush it and just go up to the plate and try to put a quality at-bat together and get on for the boys.”
Rafaela had been scuffling mightily before his big swing. He entered Wednesday batting .188 with a .234 on-base percentage, .258 slugging percentage and .491 OPS in 35 games (137 plate appearances) since the All-Star break.
He said he’s been working with hitting coach Pete Fatse to try to hit the ball out in front.
“It’s been tough,” Rafaela said. “I’m not happy but I have come to the field and show up for my guys. And I feel the support … They believe in me. If you see when I hit the home run there, they kind of knew it because they trust me. I feel really happy with the guys I have around me.”
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