Score Doesn't Matter: Holt Makes Spectacular Catch In Right
BOSTON (CBS) -- Monday night was just the 22nd game Brock Holt has played right field this season, but you'd think he was a lifelong gold glover thanks to a spectacular catch in the fifth inning.
When Toronto first baseman Dan Johnson lifted a line drive to deep right, Boston was sitting pretty with a 14-1 lead. But Holt didn't care what the scoreboard said, and raced back to make a play. The infielder-turned-outfielder timed his leap perfectly, snagging the sharp liner out of the air just before ramming into the wall at the Rogers Centre.
"That wall gave a little bit better than the cement wall in Fenway that I landed on a few weeks ago," Holt said of the catch after Boston's win -- the team's fifth straight. "That's the first time I've kind of crashed into one. No trouble, just dust yourself off, get up, throw the ball in and get ready for the next one."
After making the grab, even Holt allowed himself to smile a little bit.
"Yeah, kind of can't believe I caught that," he explained. "[Dustin Pedroia] was laughing and smiling so I gave him one back. That was a fun catch for me."
WATCH HOLT"S CATCH:
Holt has pretty much done it all for Boston this season, seeing action at every infield position and all three spots in the outfield. The catch is the perfect example of how he plays whenever he's out in the field: no matter how lopsided the score, Holt is going to give every play 100 percent.
"I'm not going to let balls fall or not play as hard just because we're winning. We're trying to get outs and win the game -- that was one of them," he said.
"He's done such a great job," Boston manager John Farrell said of Holt. "His instincts — this is a guy who has been an infielder his entire life and what he's done in the outfield has been pretty remarkable given the few number of games played there."
Holt continued to swing a hot bat at the plate as well, going 2-for-6 with an RBI and two runs scored. He leads the Red Sox with a .326 average for the season, and is batting .328 as Boston's leadoff man.
WATCH: Holt On WBZ-TV's Sports Final
The Red Sox have now won five straight and eight of their last nine, and sit just six games back of a Wild Card spot and 7.5 games behind the AL East-leading Baltimore Orioles.
Holt said the mood inside the clubhouse hasn't changed much during Boston's current hot streak.
"Nothing has changed since the beginning of the year. Everyone is doing the same thing, we're just coming out with wins," he said. "Everyone is playing the same game doing the same thing before games, we're just starting to get big hits and things are starting to go our way."
It also helps when a career third baseman is making fantastic defensive plays in the outfield.
MORE SPORTS COVERAGE FROM CBS BOSTON
