Sandy Leon plays hero, sends Red Sox fans home happy with walk-off home run. Red Sox start the season 2-0
Sandy Leon hit safely in 20 of his first 40 at-bats to start off the 2016 season. Leon also started off the 2017 season with a bang recording 5 hits. Wednesday night was a special one for Leon, as he won the game
Wednesday night Leon won the game in extra innings, sending the Fenway faithful home happy. Leon’s 12th-inning homer came off of Pirates left-handed reliever Antonio Bastardo. Jackie Bradley and Pablo Sandoval started off the bottom of 12th inning with walks to give the Red Sox men with scoring position.
Leon finished the contest 3-for-5 while Boston was only able to manage eight hits the entire night.
Lost in the story was the dominating performance of Chris Sale, who made his debut with the Red Sox. Sale threw seven shutout innings in the eventual win. Sale proved to be worth the large cost to acquire him so far in the early going. Matt Barnes, Craig Kimbrel, Heath Hembree, and Joe Kelly also threw scoreless frames working out of the bullpen. Catcher Sandy Leon also has to be given credit for his work behind the plate as he called a terrific game for his pitchers. The Pittsburgh Pirates were only able to manage five hits over the course of 12 innings.
SEE. YOU. LATER. @sandyleon41 ends it, #walkoff style! #WINDANCEREPEAT pic.twitter.com/je8V5EN1cs
— Red Sox (@RedSox) April 6, 2017
The Boston offense was stymied for most of the night after Pirates starter Jamison Tallion also threw seven scoreless innings. Thanks to Leon’s heroics, the Red Sox now move to 2-0 on the young season. This was the first walk-off win during the first two games for the Red Sox since April 11, 1962, when Carroll Hardy was the hero against Cleveland.
Boston will play the series finale against the Pirates at Fenway Park Thursday night. The pitching matchup will feature Chad Kuhl vs. Eduardo Rodriguez at 1:35 Eastern Time.