Masataka Yoshida Recaps Bizarre Play In Red Sox’s Win Over Royals

Masataka Yoshida found himself very confused in the second inning of Wednesday night’s Royals-Red Sox game.

With two outs in the top half of the frame, Kansas City center fielder Kyle Isbel lifted a deep fly ball to left field. The baseball didn’t ricochet back onto the outfield grass after Yoshida leaped for it, but that wasn’t because Boston’s first-year star made a stellar catch.

“I realized I missed catching the ball, but after that, I tried to find the ball, but it was nowhere,” Yoshida told reporters through interpreter Keiichiro Wakabayashi, per MLB.com. “So that was a surprise.”

Yoshida ultimately retrieved the baseball, which was lodged inside one of the lights near the base of the Green Monster. Per ballpark rules, Isbel was saddled with a ground-rule double, which forced Matt Duffy to go back to third base after he initially crossed home plate. It was a lucky break for the Red Sox, who limited the second-inning damage to one run and went on to secure a 4-3 victory.

Boston now will try to rack up a series win Thursday when it wraps up its four-game set with Kansas City. NESN’s complete coverage of the finale from Fenway begins at 6 p.m. ET.