Jarren Duran was hoping to make a memorable play as the Yankees managed to equalize the American League Wildcard series against the Red Sox with a narrow 4-3 victory on Wednesday. This moment not only affected the game but also shaped Duran’s night in the Bronx.
Playing in left field for Boston, Duran had adjusted his positioning to guard against a potential hit from Yankees star Aaron Judge during the fifth inning, which was tied at 2-2. Judge sent a short liner to left field that compelled Duran to dive for a catch, but he only managed to pop the ball out of his glove, enabling Trent Grisham to advance and score, putting the Yankees ahead 3-2.
“I was positioned pretty deep for Judge, and I thought the ball was hit a bit harder than it actually was,” Duran shared with the media. “I didn’t really need to dive fully; I should have just played it a little smarter.”
Fortunately for the Red Sox, they were able to even the score in the sixth inning when Trevor Story hit a solo homer in his first at-bat of that inning.
The Yankees pulled ahead again in the eighth inning thanks to a single from Austin Wells. Duran pondered what could have been had he made that crucial catch earlier in the game.
“I’m kicking myself a bit,” he admitted. “I know I messed up. Trevor’s homer was a big deal and I let them gain momentum,” he concluded.
With Wednesday’s win, the Yankees set the stage for a decisive matchup on Thursday, where they’ll aim to secure a spot in the ALDS against the Blue Jays.
