J.D. Martinez: 'It didn't feel good running, but it felt alright hitting'
The Boston Red Sox shelled the Tampa Bay Rays to even the ALDS 1-1 on Friday, and J.D. Martinez played a key role in the hit parade despite being hobbled by an ankle injury.
"It felt alright hitting," Martinez said during his postgame interview with Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal. "It didn't feel good running, but it felt alright hitting."
"It didn't feel good running, but it felt good hitting."@JDMartinez28 joined @Ken_Rosenthal after going 4-5 with a homer on a hurt ankle in the @RedSox win! pic.twitter.com/9THUhu7KLD
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 9, 2021
After the game, Martinez also added that team doctors informed him the ankle sprain would normally land him on the 10-day injured list, according to MassLive's Chris Cotillo. However, in the postseason, he's playing through it.
The 34-year-old went 4-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs, but the club replaced him with a pinch-runner in the ninth inning. The slugger missed the AL wild-card game as well as Game 1 of the ALDS due to a right ankle injury sustained during the final contest of the regular season.
Martinez's three-run homer in the fifth inning gave the Red Sox an 8-5 lead, which Boston never gave up en route to a 14-6 win. The victory saw the Red Sox make history, becoming the first team with at least 20 hits and five homers in a single playoff game. Xander Bogaerts, Alex Verdugo, Enrique Hernandez, and Rafael Devers each contributed a homer for their side.
The designated hitter had to test out the ankle a little bit during the contest, as he also had two singles and a double.
The series now moves to Fenway Park for Games 3 and 4 on Sunday and Monday, respectively. If necessary, a winner-take-all Game 5 will take place at Tropicana Field on Wednesday.