ST. PETERSBURG -- As the Red Sox battle injuries and inconsistency, Christian Vázquez has fought just as hard as anyone to keep the team afloat.

Last week, he played second base in a pinch and certainly didn’t look like he was doing so for the first time in his career. His bat has been the main talking point early, with three home runs in his last seven games and seven of his 11 hits this season going for extra bases. In Sunday's 4-3 win over the Rays, Vazquez's sacrifice fly in the top of the 11th inning plated the winning run.

Vazquez’s pickoff of the Rays’ Tommy Pham at first base to end Saturday’s game and secure the win added another dimension to his hot start. It bears mentioning that he entered as a defensive replacement in the bottom of the ninth.

According to Elias, Saturday marked the first Boston victory in the Expansion Era (1961-present) that ended with a catcher’s pickoff. It was also the first catcher’s pickoff to end a game since the Giants’ Buster Posey caught Justin Turner on April 24, 2017.

“[Vazquez] paid attention to detail, he watched what was going on and he took a shot. Good for him,” Boston manager Alex Cora said Sunday. “He’s been good. It’s good to see him that way.”

The 28-year-old had nine career pickoffs this season entering Sunday, the most by a Red Sox catcher since Rich Gedman’s 14 (1980-90). The most recent one might have been Vazquez’s favorite, as he didn’t hesitate when asked if he remembered the last time he’d ended a game in that fashion.

“Triple-A. ’16. Syracuse. I remember that,” Vazquez said. “It’s my job to help my team behind the plate, and if I hit, it’s a plus. [Saturday] was a great moment.”

One-of-a-kind experiences up for grabs
Baseball fans have an opportunity to bid on unique baseball experiences and memorabilia during the annual UMPS CARE Charities Online Auction, which runs through 10 p.m. ET April 29.

Red Sox fans can win a package that includes watching pregame batting practice on the field at Fenway Park and game tickets for four. Also up for bid are a 16-inch Red Sox dome pub light, a Mookie Betts jersey and more. There are many items up for grabs in addition to those Boston-centric treats, such as a VIP tour of the Baseball Hall of Fame, lunch with a Major League umpire and tickets for two to a live taping of Pardon the Interruption.

All proceeds from the online auction support UMPS CARE Charities youth programs, which connect children and families in the communities in which the umpires work all season through the game they love. UMPS CARE provides once-in-a-lifetime Major League Baseball experiences for critically ill kids, at-risk youth and military families, Build-A-Bear Workshop® experiences for children battling serious illnesses at more than 15 pediatric hospitals in the United States and Canada, college scholarships for deserving young adults who were adopted as children and financial assistance for families in the baseball community in need. UMPS CARE Charities is the official charity of Major League Baseball umpires.

For more information or to make a bid, visit mlb.com/UmpsCare.