Revolution Goalkeeper Matt Turner Fires Perfect Strike Ahead Of Red Sox-Rays
BOSTON (CBS) -- Matt Turner is used to life on the pitch. On Wednesday, he got a chance to fire a pitch at Fenway Park.
The Revolution goalkeeper threw out the first pitch ahead of Wednesday's Red Sox-Rays game, delivering a perfect strike. A ballplayer in high school, Turner threw it right down the middle of the plate.
Perhaps a future in the Boston bullpen awaits the New England netminder.
Chances are Turner will stick in the MLS, where he's been the best goalkeeper this season. But Wednesday night was an evening he'll never forget.
"It was a great experience and something I've always wanted to do as a kid. To deliver a strike, more importantly, was pretty awesome," Turner told WBZ-TV's Dan Roche. "A Sox win would be the cherry on top."
The Red Sox did indeed win, pummeling the Rays 20-8. Turner should be invited back on a nightly basis.
He's had nerves of steel between the pipes for the Revs and the US Men's National Team this year, but Turner admitted that he was a bit nervous when he started toeing the rubber.
"The Gold Cup final, I was nervous beforehand but as soon as I got on the field I was fine. This was completely opposite; I was fine beforehand but as soon as I got out on the mound I was pretty nervous," he said. "But I got the job done both times, I guess you could say.
"I'm always a little kid inside, so to be able to do that and be accepted by the city of Boston, the people here at Fenway, it was a really special night for me," he added.
Turner will now turn his attention to turning away shots for the first-place Revs. New England is looking to extend its unbeaten streak to seven matches when the Revolution visit Toronto on Saturday night.
