BOSTON — Mookie Betts did it all.
In the first game of the year at Fenway Park, the Boston Red Sox center fielder robbed a home run, hit one of his own and turned one stolen base into two with a bit of aggressive baserunning. Most impressive, perhaps, he upstaged appearances by Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and Pedro Martinez, each of whom took part in the pregame festivities for the 104th opener at the old ballpark.
“It’s the Mookie Betts Show,” left fielder Hanley Ramirez said after the Red Sox’s 9-4 win over the Washington Nationals.
The fact that Betts played a starring role for the Red Sox is nothing new. He ranks among the best young players in baseball, to say nothing of being the apparent successor to Jacoby Ellsbury as the Sox’s leadoff-hitting center fielder.
Betts reaffirmed his status by outshining Washington Nationals star Bryce Harper, born nine days after Betts in October 1992.
Harper hit what would have been a two-run homer in the first inning against Red Sox starter Rick Porcello. However, Betts followed the ball to the warning track in front of the right-center-field bullpens, leaped like an NBA slam dunk champion and brought the ball back.
In the bottom of the first, Betts drew a walk, stole second, and alertly recognized the Nats left third base uncovered while positioned in a shift against David Ortiz. Betts popped up, outran Washington shortstop Ian Desmond and slid safely into third, marking only the 11th time since 1915 that a player recorded at least two stolen bases on one play, according to the Society for American Baseball Research.
“That was maybe the craziest thing I’ve ever seen in baseball,” Ortiz said. “We were talking about it and I was explaining to him what he did because I don’t think he knows. I know he doesn’t know because when I was telling him what he did, he was like, ‘Really?’ I’m like, ‘Bro, not even if you practice it can you do that.’ That kid is an unbelievable athlete, and he’s going to be a superstar. I keep on saying that.”
Harper doesn’t need any convincing.
“He’s a lot of fun to watch,” Harper said. “Seeing what he did today — that bat speed he has, the running ability he has, being able to play center field like he does, he’d be in the lineup every day for me if he was mine.”