As Bo Bichette rounded third base the sold-out Rogers Centre crowd rose to its feet, cheering for what could have be the perfect ending to a come-from-behind Toronto Blue Jays victory on Canada Day.
But Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo fired a laser beam from right field, gunning down Bichette at home plate as Boston fended off a late Blue Jays rally for a 7-6 win on Saturday.
Bichette said he didn't see any stop signs on the play. "I knew the situation. For us to score a run I need to be aggressive and get there," said Bichette. "But also I knew that the ball was hit to their best thrower.
From Verdugo's vantage point, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s hard-hit double actually made it easier to field. Because it was obvious that George Springer would score from third, all Verdugo had to do was deal with the tying run that Bichette represented. "Vladdy hit it hard.