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What Wilyer Abreu had to say about achieving rare feat for Red Sox in win vs. Reds
"It was very exciting, but at the same time I was very tired."
Wilyer Abreu’s grand (but tiring) night: On Monday, the Red Sox offense roared to life thanks partly to the efforts of right fielder Wilyer Abreu, who hit two home runs and totaled five RBIs.
Of course, the context of Abreu’s home runs are important: One was an inside-the-park home run, a first for the Red Sox since Eduardo Núnéz in 2018, while the other was a grand slam (the first of his career).
The combination of rare feats produced some notable history: It was the first time a player hit (separately) a grand slam and an inside-the-park home run in the same game since 1958 (more on this trivia below), according to MLB’s Sara Langs.
Abreu spoke about the rarely seen inside-the-park home run after the game (which Boston won 13-6).
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“When I hit the ball I thought it was a home run,” Abreu told reporters. “When I saw it heading to the track, I thought the ball might not be gone so I started running hard and the ball didn’t go out and I was able to hit an inside-the-park homer.”
“It’s the first time I’ve hit an inside-the-park-home run,” Abreu told NESN. “It was very exciting, but at the same time I was very tired.”
The 26-year-old’s RBIs came at the perfect time for the Red Sox. After compiling a 7-0 lead in the first inning, Boston’s advantage was trimmed by Cincinnati to 7-4 prior to the inside-the-park shot. The grand slam in the bottom of the eighth inning broke the game open, extending the Red Sox lead from four runs (9-5) to an irretrievable eight-run margin (13-5).
Asked which of his home runs he liked more, Abreu noted that the traditional kind is preferable over the long term.
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“Obviously the inside-the-parker, but you get tired from it,” Abreu said. “So for me if you hit the ball and just jog around the bases [for a homer], that’s better.”
Trivia: Wilyer Abreu became the first MLB player to hit both an inside-the-park home run and a grand slam in the same game since 1958. Who was the last player to accomplish this feat?
(Answer at the bottom)
Hint: Originally from Minnesota, he won back-to-back American League MVPs in 1960 and 1961.
Scores and schedules:
The Red Sox defeated the Reds 13-6 on Monday.
The two teams play again this evening at Fenway Park at 7:10 p.m.
More from Boston.com:
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- WNBA expanding to Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia over next five years
Celtics free agent analysis: Former general manager Bobby Marks assessed Boston’s roster and current offseason options after the recent salary-shedding flurry of trades.
On this day: In 2012, Spain repeated as Euro champions with a 4-0 win over Italy in the final, hosted in Kyiv, Ukraine.
It was a high-point for Spain, having already won the 2008 Euros and the 2010 World Cup. Three straight international tournament triumphs was punctuated by an emphatic rout of Italy in the final. Cesc Fabregas operated as a false nine, and Spain’s trademark “tiki-taka” reigned.
Daily highlight: Jackson Merrill made a glorious catch in centerfield to rob a home run for the Padres on Monday. Come for the highlight, stay for the Don Orsillo call.
Trivia answer: Roger Maris
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