Boston Red Sox’ ‘Big guy’ was ‘the umpire’ on Jarren Duran’s steal of home

Boston Red Sox' Jarren Duran is congratulated by teammates after stealing home in the third inning Saturday. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Rafael Devers was batting with an 0-0 count when Jarren Duran took off and recorded Boston’s first straight steal of home since Jacoby Ellsbury did it exactly 16 years ago (April 26, 2009) against the Yankees. 

 “Everybody’s excited, especially the big guy,” manager Alex Cora joked. “He was the umpire on that play. Raffy, he called him safe.”

Duran went 3-for-5 with a triple, three runs and two RBIs The Red Sox won 7-3 over the Guardians in the second game of a doubleheader Saturday after Cleveland won the first game, 5-4, here at Progressive Field.

Devers made the safe sign as Duran dived across home plate. The DH remained adamant Duran was safe when the Guardians challenged the call. It was upheld.

“They challenged it and he (Devers) is like, ‘No, he’s safe. I saw it,’” Cora said.

Duran was on third base after ripping an RBI triple to make it 5-0. His steal made it 6-0.

“First of all, the triple, that’s exciting,” Cora said. “And for him to do it right away that was great. It was fun to watch.”

Duran and third base coach Kyle Hudson knew there was an opportunity to steal home once rookie starter Doug Nikhazy decided to pitch from the windup instead of the stretch.

“Me and Huddy saw him mention to the third base umpire he was going to go from the windup,” Duran said. “Me and Huddy, we started talking right away like, ‘I’m gonna go first pitch here if he gives it to me.’”

Duran entered 3-for-31 against lefties this year. But he had two hits against Nikhazy, a 25-year-old lefty making his MLB debut. He also had a hit against left-handed reliever Kolby Allard.

“He’s one of the most exciting players in baseball,” Red Sox starter Walker Buehler said. “I’ve watched him from afar and seen a lot of it from afar. Obviously I don’t think he’s off to the start that he kind of wanted to. But there’s nobody in baseball that more often can hit a triple and steal home. The past couple of weeks he’s hitting the (expletive) out of the ball. He’s hitting the ball hard. And now it’s kind of coming to fruition for him.”