What Red Sox Reliever Told Himself After Extra-Innings Mistake

Josh Winckowski went against the Red Sox’s 10th-inning game plan Tuesday night, but it ended up not costing the visitors.

With Boston and Oakland tied at 4-4, the Athletics were poised to push across the game-winning run with one out and runners on the corners. Winckowski proceeded to induce a ground ball back to the mound and caught an ambitious J.D. Davis, who ultimately was tagged out in a rundown. A threat was erased, but that wasn’t what the Red Sox were eyeing in that scenario.

“The call was honestly to turn two,” Winckowski told reporters, per MassLive. “But Noda kind of jumped towards home and I kind of turned towards him. At that point, took too long. I had to commit to the play at third. But truthfully, I was probably supposed to turn two there.”

Knowing he squandered a chance to end in the inning, Winckowski told himself, “Better get this guy,” when Seth Brown stepped up to the plate with two outs. The right-hander did exactly that, striking out Oakland’s left fielder to send the game into the 11th.

The Red Sox offense took over from there, plating the game-winning run on a Tyler O’Neill double play. And it was Winckowski who put the final nail in the Athletics’ coffin when he completed his second clean inning to earn his first win of the season.

Clutch pitching, sharp defense and timely hitting all factored into the full-team effort needed in Boston’s third straight victory. Alex Cora’s club now will go for a series sweep Wednesday, and you can catch all of the action on NESN beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET.