The Red Sox saw the return of a potential sparkplug Tuesday night at PNC Park.
Kiké Hernández made his long-awaited return to the Red Sox lineup for Boston's three-game series opener against Pittsburgh. Not only does the ever-charismatic Hernández figure to give the Sox a jolt of positive energy in the clubhouse, but he also provides Boston even more lineup flexibility.
Hernández's defensive versatility can be summed up by a question he was asked by Red Sox manager Alex Cora prior to Tuesday night's game.
"I asked Kiké (on Monday), 'Where do you want to play tomorrow, second or short?'" Cora told reporters, per The Boston Globe. "He said, 'What?!'"
Hernández ultimately settled on shortstop, where there was a vacancy as a result of an off day for Xander Bogaerts. And thanks to a dazzling outing from Red Sox starter Nick Pivetta, it ended up being a relatively quiet night in the infield for Hernández. The ninth-year pro helped turn a double play and caught two pop outs, including the final out of Boston's 5-3 win.
The victory over the Pirates gave the Red Sox their second straight win and moved the club to within four games of the final American League Wild Card spot. Boston will try to make it three in a row Wednesday night when the sides meet for the middle game of their interleague series.
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