TORONTO — The Red Sox concluded their 7-1 win over the Blue Jays on Wednesday with a play that doesn’t happen often.
With a runner at first base and two outs, Blue Jays’ Alejandro Kirk hit what looked like a single to right field.
“I knew I had a shot,” Red Sox right fielder Wilyer Abreu said.
Abreu fielded the ball and threw out Kirk at first base to end the game.
“It’s a great play,” manager Alex Cora said. “Understanding who’s running. The ball got hit hard and it was basically a routine play for him.”
The ball left Kirk’s bat at 104.1 mph. Abreu’s throw to first baseman Nathaniel Lowe was 93.5 mph.
“It was a hard line drive so it got to me quick,” Abreu said. “And I saw Lowe go to the base and just say, ‘OK, I’m going.’ I had a chance.”
Abreu, a 2024 Gold Glove winner, said he’s never done something like that before — not even in Little League.
“Not that I remember,” he said. “That was the first time so it was very exciting.”
Boston’s magic number to clinch a postseason spot is down to two, meaning any combination of Red Sox wins and Astros losses totaling two will secure their playoff berth.
“We still have to finish it,” Cora said. “We put ourselves in a great position so far. We still got games to play. We just have to take it day by day. We enjoy this one, see what happens tonight and then we’ll know what we have to do the rest of the way to make it to October.”
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