Jeter Downs picked a great time to collect the first hit of his Major League Baseball career.
Downs, who was recalled from Triple-A Worcester on Saturday, entered the Yankees-Red Sox contest in the eighth inning as a pinch-runner. Two innings later, the 23-year-old infielder smacked an RBI single that cut New York’s lead to one. Downs eventually came around to score the game-winning run in the 10th inning, capping off a day the Red Sox prospect will never forget.
One has to imagine Downs received a slew of messages after his clutch performance in what was only his second big league game. One of them was from WooSox hitting coach Rich Gedman, who reminded Downs where he stands on the track to reaching one of baseball’s most impressive hitting milestones.
“I wrote (to him), you need 2,999 more,” Gedman told The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier.
Perhaps Downs will add on to his hit total Sunday night when the Red Sox and the Yankees wrap up their four-game series. First pitch from Fenway Park is scheduled for 7:08 p.m. ET.
