BOSTON — Even before he stepped to the plate the eighth inning, Tuesday already had been a memorable day at the dish for Brock Holt.
The Boston Red Sox utility man, on this occasion playing second base and leading off in place of the injured Dustin Pedroia, had collected hits in three of his four at-bats in an afternoon meeting with the visiting Atlanta Braves, including a seventh-inning home run that landed in the seats atop the Green Monster.
It was the first time Holt had ever cleared Fenway Park’s daunting left field wall, and even he could hardly believe it.