Wait, what year is it?! Yastrzemski's HR sends Red Sox (and Braves) to postseason
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A Yastrzemski hasn't suited up for the Boston Red Sox since 1983. As for the last time a Yastrzemski sent the Red Sox to the postseason? Try today.
With a win or an Astros loss, the Red Sox could clinch an AL Wild Card berth on Sunday. In theory, Plan A -- winning a game -- sounds simpler. In practice, the team to beat was the Rays at Tropicana Field. No luck there. Boston surrendered four runs before retiring a batter in the bottom of the first, and that, more or less, was that.
Enter plan B(raves). Atlanta had a similar clinch scenario laid out for them on Sunday -- a win over the Astros in Houston would do the job, if the Mets didn't beat the Phillies first. (For the avoidance of doubt, they did not.)
After five innings of dominance from Houston starter Hunter Brown, the Braves, down 1-0, ambushed the Astros' bullpen for four runs in the top of the sixth. And the man with the game-winning three-run homer that would, in the end, send both the Braves and the Red Sox to the postseason?
Well, baseball is quite sentimental, and it also has a sense of humor, so, obviously, it was Mike Yastrzemski.