J.D. Martinez finally got back to hitting long dongs on Thursday night against the Astros. The Red Sox DH crushed his 13th home run of the season, a 411-footer into the corner wall in center field at Fenway Park.
The home run was clutch at the time, tying the game 3-3 off Houston starter Zack Greinke, who grooved an 88-mph fastball right over the plate. It was Martinez’s first home run since May 20, as he went 13 games without one while posting a .669 OPS in that span.
Watch the home run below:
Martinez is still eighth in the American League with a .938 OPS, but he’s 12th in home runs. He has some ground to make up there. Despite a hit distance of 411 feet, Martinez’s longest homer of the season was projected at 440 feet, per Statcast.
The Red Sox won the game Thursday night by a 12-8 final, improving to 38-25 on the season. They still trail the Tampa Bay Rays by one game in the AL East entering Friday.
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Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @mattydsays. You can also email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.
