Boston Red Sox
Alex Cora called on Yoshida to hit a no-hitter in extra innings, and he nailed it.
Masataka Yoshida was knocked out by the Tigers in extra innings on Saturday. (Barry Chen/Globe Staff)
After nine full innings of scoreless baseball, the Red Sox finally had a chance to score in the bottom of the 10th inning.
Jarren Duran started the frame at second, and the moment he saw an opening, he stole third base to put Detroit at zero points. Sedan struck out Rafaela, Marcelo Mayer walked, and Caleb Durbin was about to hit a home run.
But Alex Cora instead called on Masataka Yoshida to strike out. The outfielder and designated hitter has been one of Boston’s most important batsmen for 2026, but he’s still not an everyday starter. His lone goal on Friday was memorable.
With the field up and Detroit doing everything it could to force a player to the ground, Yoshida sent a ball into the dirt with so much force that it bounced over the entire field. That was all the turnover needed to cross home plate and give the Red Sox a 1-0 win.
Yoshida described the song as “lucky” when speaking after the match. But whether he was lucky or not, he got the job done.
“You never know when my number is called,” Yoshida said. “It’s a challenge that I don’t know when my time will come. I’m just trying to stay ready… When I’m in the lineup, I want to contribute and have my best day.”
Yoshida is batting .310 on the year with a .474 on-base percentage. He also has five RBIs on the year so far, the biggest of which came on Friday. He doesn’t need to be in the lineup every day to maintain his offensive rhythm.
“In these situations I know how he feels. You want to play, let’s be honest,” Cora told reporters. “[Yoshida] He was one of the best players in Japan, and we brought him here for a reason. … That’s how we’re going to maximize our success.” [this roster]But it’s not easy.
“He prepares. He’s a great teammate. We see him doing his defensive work, running the bases, just staying ready. He’s been good for us so far this season.”
As for the Red Sox as a whole, they are still struggling to find an offensive identity. But they formed an identity in their green alternate jerseys: clutch moments. Boston has now racked up seven wins in Green Monster jerseys since their debut in 2025. All seven of those wins have come via some form of walk-off.
The Red Sox won Game 1 of their series against Detroit, and they will welcome Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal to the mound at Fenway Park on Saturday. The first show is set for 4:10 p.m
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