Fenway Park has seen about everything in its 111-year history, but it might have experienced a first Wednesday night — a hit that broke a scoreboard light.
Kansas City Royals center-fielder Kyle Isbel did the damage in the second inning, lining a ball off Fenway’s legendary Green Monster.
Only the ball did not come off the wall. Boston Red Sox left-fielder Masataka Yoshida tracked the drive to the wall, then turned to play the carom off the wall. He did two or three double takes, looking for the missing ball, only to finally discover it lodged in one of the “Out” lights on the scoreboard.
Definitely a Fenway Park first. 😅
(🎥: @nesn) pic.twitter.com/Isjsk2MVeu
— theScore (@theScore) August 9, 2023
Yoshida carefully retrieved the ball. It turned out to be a lucky break — no pun intended — for the Red Sox, as the ball was ruled a ground rule double and Matt Duffy, who had been on first base, and would have scored, was held at third base.
It wasn’t exactly a Roy Hobbs-like moment from “The Natural,” but observers thought it was a first at Fenway. That seems hard to believe, given the number of fly balls that have thumped the wall through the years, but no one could recall seeing this before.
Twitter had some fun with the unusual play.
First time in the long long long history of Fenway Park that a live ball got stuck in one of the light bulbs in the Green Monstah. Gotta love it! Send that ball to the @baseballhall #mlb #dirtywater #Boston pic.twitter.com/bZWYC6sUnd
— Matty P (@tsasmattyp) August 9, 2023
The ball got stuck in the light at Fenway Park 😭
Baseball has been wild recently pic.twitter.com/3GGPejTKlY
— Kyle (@ImKyleMangum) August 9, 2023
That’s the first time since Cleeves McSkizle in 1911 broke the scoreboard light on the Green Monster at Fenway park in a 19-7 win over the Scranton Claghorns. #redsox
— JVP (@VanpattenJoel) August 9, 2023
Fenway Park scoreboard saving runs 😂😂😂
— Jeff Hoak (@JeffHoak1) August 9, 2023
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.