In one sense, the game was a rarity: A 1-0 walkoff win in extra innings, the Sox\u2019 first since 1980. In another, it was colorfully familiar to 34,866 Fenway patrons: Since the Sox introduced their green uniforms last year, they\u2019re 7-5 wearing them, with all seven victories via walkoff.<\/p>\n
The win was made possible by brilliance from starter Ranger Suarez<\/a>, who tossed eight scoreless innings. But the decisive blow came from Masataka Yoshida, a player often cast in the role of spare part but who on Friday underscored that he is capable of more.<\/p>\n Get Starting Point<\/p>\n A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday.<\/p>\n With runners on the corners and one out, Yoshida chopped a pinch-hit, game-winning single over a drawn-in, five-man Tigers infield. When the Sox needed a hitter to reliably put the ball in play against Will Vest, Yoshida delivered in a challenging role for his first walkoff hit in four seasons with the Sox.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s a good hitter,\u201d said manager Alex Cora. \u201c[Pinch hitting] is not easy. But having that guy on the bench, or having Roman [Anthony] on the bench or Jarren [Duran] in a situation like that, you have to pick your poison on the other side. They\u2019re good hitters, all of them. We\u2019re going to use them the way we want to use them. And [Yoshida] was ready.\u201d<\/p>\n With Anthony<\/a>, Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu<\/a>, Duran, and Yoshida, the Sox have been gerrymandering playing time for five players in four spots. Yoshida has often been squeezed. Still, while he acknowledges that his role is \u201ckind of a challenge,\u201d he recognizes how the 5-for-4 dynamic can benefit his team.<\/p>\n \u201cThroughout the season, some guys have bad days, some guys have good days. Whenever they put me in the lineup, I want to contribute,\u201d Yoshida (hitting .310\/.474\/.414) said via translator. \u201cI think in [those terms], it\u2019s been working pretty well [and] we\u2019re putting a lot of good guys out there.\u201d<\/p>\n The game had to be decided late due to the dominance of Suarez and Tigers counterpart Casey Mize (6\u2154 scoreless innings).<\/p>\n Suarez faced peril just once. In the game\u2019s first inning, rookie Kevin McGonigle flicked a one-out single to left-center and Jahmai Jones smacked a liner off the Wall.<\/p>\n But Jones hit the ball so hard (108 miles per hour) that his sprint for second proved ill-advised, with Rafaela\u2019s throw to Marcelo Mayer<\/a> delivering the second out of the inning. The throw and tag (which resulted in an out only after a challenge of the initial safe ruling) was the first of several precisely executed defensive plays by the Sox.<\/p>\n \u201cIn games like that, there\u2019s so many moments that dictate the game,\u201d said Mayer. \u201cIn such close games, you need to execute the little things and honestly, be perfect. I feel like we were perfect tonight on defense.\u201d<\/p>\n Suarez capitalized on the defensive support by fanning Dillon Dingler on a changeup to strand McGonigle on third.<\/p>\n Dingler\u2019s lunging whiff was a harbinger. For the rest of the night, the Tigers were alternately confounded, flummoxed, and perplexed by the lefthander\u2019s palette of sinkers, changeups, cutters, four-seamers, and curveballs. He retired 22 of the last 23 batters he faced, allowing just two hits (none after the first inning) and one walk while striking out four.<\/p>\n Suarez, however, was matched zero-for-zero by Mize, who baffled the Sox with an elegant display of velocity addition and subtraction in which he allowed three hits and one walk while punching out seven. Suarez understood the task presented by his foe.<\/p>\n \u201cThe mentality is to go out there and throw zeros and keep the game at zero, so that my teammates don\u2019t have the pressure of being down in the game,\u201d Suarez said via translator. \u201cFor me to throw zeros was huge.\u201d<\/p>\n With the scoreless tie persisting, the two starters received no-decisions, leaving the outcome to the bullpens. <\/p>\n Aroldis Chapman in the ninth and Garrett Whitlock in the 10th stranded runners on third with two outs, buying time for the Sox to break through. <\/p>\n Alex Speier can be reached at alex.speier@globe.com<\/a>. Follow him @alexspeier<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Red](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ANJQLPA4MAZLLHAY6XQUSGHYZQ.jpg\")
Red Sox starter Ranger Suarez allowed two hits in eight innings, striking out four and walking one.Barry Chin\/Globe Staff<\/p>\n