Red Sox Minor League Broadcasters Reflect On Historic Call At Fenway Park

BOSTON — Emma Tiedemann and Rylee Pay have been calling Portland Sea Dogs games for the past two seasons. On Monday night, the duo knocked one out of the park when they entered the NESN booth with Red Sox voice Dave O’Brien and analyst Kevin Youkilis at Fenway Park.

“I still can’t believe it happened, honestly. But it was great,” Tiedemann told NESN.com after the game. “Everything was smooth, and Dave and Youk were amazing. Everyone was so welcoming and patient with us. Learning all the different ins and outs at the big league level that we don’t have in Portland.”

“I think I’m still numb,” Pay added. “Just felt the shoulders relax a little bit. Now, you kind of take it all in and really think about all that it meant and all that it will mean. I think just one of those things where it’s just a surreal moment, and to sit back and think about this dream that you’ve had for so long, coming true on a day in August has been really special.”

Originally, Tiedemann and Pay were supposed to complement O’Brien and Youkilis and call just the three middle frames of the Red Sox’s nightcap of the doubleheader with the Blue Jays. But things changed midway through the game when Red Sox coordinating producer Amy Johnson came over the headset and suggested the pair continue calling the game after the end of the sixth inning.

“When somebody like Dave O’Brien turns to you and says, ‘You can just finish out the game,'” Tiedemann said. “I mean, my stomach kind of dropped a little bit, like, ‘Wait, I’m getting more?’

“I think that was probably one of the memories I’ll take with me forever. To have a guy like Dave O’Brien give up his innings of play-by-play to give Rylee and me some extra time on the mic, I mean, that was such a kind gesture and made this night even more special.”

The Blue Jays swept the Red Sox in the day-night doubleheader, but Pay did have one spectacular call in the bottom of the eighth inning when Jarren Duran smacked his 19th home run of the season.

“Another surreal moment,” Pay said. “It was awesome because it was one of those where you knew it off the bat. Dead center is always fun, too. And I think the type of player he is, it was a really cool one. Came in at a big spot, too.

“The crowd was so loud, and that was what I was really looking forward to, amongst other things tonight, was just hearing Fenway and the rumblings and all of the fan base because I think that’s something that makes Boston so special.”

Fenway Park is much bigger than the Sea Dogs’ stadium in Portland, Maine, but Tiedemann said the sellout crowds can get pretty loud at Hadlock Field.

“Sea Dogs fans come out, and we sell out almost every night,” Tiedemann explained. “Hadlock Field gets rocking, too. In Portland, when there’s a ninth-inning rally, the press box is shaking at times.”

Pay added: “Something so cool about being in Portland, in the minor league city that it is, is that the fans that we have are truly Red Sox fans. They show up for us every single day and really do value the landscape of the farm system and care so much about Boston as well.”