Christian Arroyo was not expected to be in the starting lineup for the Boston Red Sox on Sunday afternoon, but less than an hour after being inserted, the utility man knocked one out of Fenway Park.
Arroyo, serving as Boston’s designated hitter while hitting sixth, filled in for an injured J.D. Martinez. Martinez was a late scratch due to back spasms.
The 26-year-old drilled the first pitch he saw — a 96 mph four-seamer from Seattle’s Logan Gilbert — to deep left field. His solo shot into the Green Monster seats gave Boston an early 1-0 advantage.
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Martinez hit .583 over the previous three games against the Mariners, but Arroyo’s early contributions helped make up for the slugger’s absence.
