Steve Pearce has been getting it done with his bat throughout the 2018 Major League Baseball playoffs, but the veteran first baseman went all out to get it done with his glove Wednesday night in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series.
With the Boston Red Sox holding a two-run lead in the top half of the seventh inning, Astros right fielder Josh Reddick flared a foul ball that was ticketed for Houston’s dugout. Pearce did absolutely everything he could to make a spectacular catch, but he wound up going head over heels into the dugout without the ball in his glove.
Yikes.
Speaking with reporters Thursday ahead of Game 5, Alex Cora reacted to Pearce’s wild tumble. While the Red Sox manager appreciated Pearce’s hustle, Cora more so was happy to see that the first baseman was unharmed.
“I think that’s the second time he’s done that, if I’m not mistaken, like diving like that,” Cora said, per MassLive’s Christopher Smith. “I was hoping he was in one piece, honestly. From where I was, I was like, ‘He has no chance here.’ And he got up quick and he’s in one piece.
“He’s not playing today because of the matchup,” Cora added. “But I’m glad that he’s OK. But very dangerous. Very dangerous play. He had a shot at catching it. We love the effort. We love the effort. And that’s what we do. That’s what the kids do here with us. They go all in and I’m happy that he’s OK.”
Pearce wasn’t the only Red Sox player diving Wednesday night either. Andrew Benintendi secured the Red Sox’s Game 4 win by going full extension in the ninth inning to make a sensational catch with two outs and the bases loaded.
