David Ortiz provided Exhibit A in Boston Strong on Thursday night.
The slugger has been vocal about his support for the city in the days since the Boston Marathon bombings. He was behind one of the most memorable moments of that turbulent week, and since then, he’s kept up the tribute the best way he knows how — by knocking the ball out of the park.
Ortiz did that in the most dramatic way Thursday night. After the Rangers walked Dustin Pedroia to get to him, Ortiz made them pay with a three-run bomb to end the game. It was Ortiz’s 12th career walk-off home run with the Red Sox (including playoffs), according to The Boston Globe.
Ortiz said he was surprised he got the chance.
“They don’t like to mess with Papi late in the game,” Ortiz said, according to the Globe. “They stopped doing that.”
Ortiz said he knew his teammates would be ready to mob him by the time he got home.
“I was just thinking [of] the beating that was waiting for me at the plate,” Ortiz said. “You don’t feel anything at the time, but it happens the next day when you wake up. You’re all beat up. But it’s good. That means you won the game.”
Ortiz was, indeed, mobbed, and he lost his jersey in the process. No matter — he was wearing a special Boston Strong shirt underneath.
Check out the scene from the game-winner below.
