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Masataka Yoshida’s Pinch-Hit Single Lifts Red Sox Past Yankees in 3-1 Wild Card Game 1 Win

Boston moves in front of the best-of-three with a seventh-inning swing that flipped the series opener.

Aug 28, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox designated hitter Masataka Yoshida (7) hits a single during the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images
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Overview

  • In his first postseason plate appearance, Yoshida pinch-hit for Rob Refsnyder with runners on second and third and lined a first-pitch 96 mph fastball from Luke Weaver to right for a two-run single that turned a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead in the seventh.
  • The Red Sox closed out a 3-1 victory at Yankee Stadium, backed by Garrett Crochet’s 7⅔ innings of one-run, 117-pitch work that kept the game within reach.
  • According to the Boston Globe, Yoshida became the first pinch-hitter in Red Sox history to turn a deficit into a postseason lead with one swing.
  • Per OptaSTATS as cited by ClutchPoints, he is the first MLB player to deliver a go-ahead run in his initial playoff at-bat while his team was trailing.
  • Yoshida’s moment followed a return from shoulder surgery last October and a late-season surge reported at .370 over his final 12 games, and Boston now has two chances to clinch a spot in the ALDS against Toronto with the Yankees expected to start Carlos Rodón in Game 2.