Mike Lowell weighs in on Rafael Devers drama
Was it the best catch in Red Sox' history? That's a tough one.
Too many great ones in much bigger moments.
But most unique? We might have a winner.
In the seventh inning of Wednesday night's Red Sox game in Detroit, Tigers' hitter Kerry Carpenter launched a 96 mph fastball from Liam Hendriks toward the right-center field fence.
It appeared as though the blast was destined to break the 5-5 tie, with right fielder Wilyer Abreu and center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela both racing back to the fence.
It was 104.8 mph off the bat. It was 371 feet. It would have been out in six other big league parks ... including Comerica Park if not for the two Red Sox outfielders. Score that 9-8.
"Just watching the ball all the way,” Abreu told reporters through interpreter Daveson Pérez. “Got close to the wall. Tried to make my best effort to catch it. I had Rafaela behind me and he was able to make the catch. The goal was to catch the ball for sure. I wasn’t able to, but I had Rafaela right there behind me, who is always having my back on plays and was able to make that catch.”
"I didn’t know where the ball was going to land,” Rafaela added to reporters. “I was trying to go for it, but I saw Wily, and he was under the ball already. I was just there if it hit the wall or something. And then I saw it [deflect], and I stuck my hand in there."