BOSTON — It took less than three innings for Brock Holt to leave his mark in center field.
Holt, playing center field for the first time in his career Tuesday, bailed out Jonny Gomes with a fantastic diving catch in left field in the third inning of the Red Sox’s 2-1 win over the Minnesota Twins at Fenway Park. Gomes lost the ball in the twilight, forcing Holt’s baseball instincts into action.
“Your eyes go to who you think is going to field it,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said after the game. “Jonny didn’t look like he had too much of a beat on it. Out of the corner of all of our eye, here comes Brock with a diving, sprawling catch. Thankfully, he did. Particularly when (Jon Lester’s) pitch count in those first three innings (is rising), an out in that moment is a key one.”
Holt, who went 2-for-4, led off the bottom of the third inning with a double. He then stole third base and scored Boston’s second run — also his second run — on Xander Bogaerts’ sacrifice fly. Evidently, you really do collect one big hit for every big catch.
