Lavarnway powers Red Sox win with first two MLB home runs
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — Late season call-up Ryan Lavarnway won the hearts of Boston Red Sox fans Tuesday night with a two-HR performance that secured an 8-7 win over the Baltimore Orioles.
Lavarnway, a catcher recently named 2011 Minor-League MVP by Jewish Baseball News, drove in half of the Red Sox’s runs in the crucial victory, which kept the team tied with the Tampa Bay Rays in the A.L. wild-card race and one game left to play. He also played well in the field, throwing out one potential base-stealer and tossing out Orioles C Matt Wieters’ soft grounder in the 9th inning.
Not bad for a rookie making his first MLB start as catcher (he has started six games as DH). Lavarnway played in place of starters Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Jason Varitek.
Click here to see Lavarnway’s two HRs. The first, a 3-run job, put the Red Sox ahead 5-1 in the 4th inning. The second, a solo shot, came in the 8th inning and gave Boston its 8th run, which ultimately proved the difference in the win.
The Red Sox play the final game of the regular season tonight in Baltimore. It will be interesting to see whether Lavarnway is asked to start.
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