As the game entered the top of the ninth inning, the Boston Red Sox brought in their team's, and indeed the entire Major League's, top relief pitcher, Craig Kimbrel.
At 28, Kimbrel has led the league in saves four times and won the Trevor Hoffman Award for the best National League relief pitcher in 2014. He has been selected for the All-Star Game five times, making him a coveted closer for any team;
Since the start of the 2017 season, despite the Red Sox's average performance due to the WBC's impact early in the season, Kimbrel's performance has been outstanding. He currently leads the league in both saves and ERA, and is a strong contender for this year's Mariano Rivera Award as the best reliever in the American League, aiming to become the first to achieve the 'save king' title in both leagues.
Bringing him in at this moment, Farrell hopes this legendary closer can stabilize the game and take the tie into the bottom of the ninth.
