Inside The Red Sox

Red Sox Slugger Hits Bizarre Walk-Off In Historic World Baseball Classic Game

The Red Sox are expecting big things from their new shortstop

Scott Neville

Red Sox Slugger Hits Bizarre Walk-Off In Historic World Baseball Classic Game
Red Sox Slugger Hits Bizarre Walk-Off In Historic World Baseball Classic Game /
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Many players from the Boston Red Sox roster currently are scattered around the globe competing in one of the coolest events the sport has to offer -- the World Baseball Classic.

Thus far, utility infielder Yu Chang has stolen the show for Boston -- taking home the Pool-A MVP award for Chinese Taipei -- but a more prominent member of the Red Sox roster is starting to garner attention. 

Red Sox shortstop Kiké Hernández -- representing Puerto Rico in the WBC -- capped off a fantastic game by hitting a walk-off in the oddest fashion possible. 

The 31-year-old roped walk-off single to left field to end the game in eight innings... due to the WBC mercy rule. Puerto Rico not only beat Isreal 10-0 but they also threw a perfect game in the process. 

Hernández finished the game 2-for-4 including a double with two RBIs, a run and a walk. The versatile defender started the game in center field, moved to second base and then shortstop during his eventful eight-inning performance. 

Through three games, Hernández has hit .333 (4-for-12) with a double, three RBIs and a .846 OPS. 

Puerto Rico now stands at 2-1 with a game against the 1-1 Dominican Republic remaining before potentially advancing to the quarter-finals. 

Hernández is no stranger to the postseason atmosphere and in some regard, his elevated play was expected. That said, it's encouraging to see the fan-favorite utility man seemingly fully healthy after a season in which he missed a lot of time due to an unusual hip injury. 

The new Red Sox shortstop will be relied upon in Boston this season as he takes over Xander Bogaerts' old stomping grounds up the middle. 

More MLB: Elite Red Sox Prospect Miguel Bleis Dominates In Grapefruit League Debut

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Scott Neville
SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville covers the Boston Red Sox for Sports Illustrated's new page "Inside The Red Sox." Before starting "Inside The Red Sox", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer.  His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join the Sports Illustrated Media Group in his current endeavor as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Red Sox" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu

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