Sign up for Celtics updates🏀
Get breaking news and analysis delivered to your inbox during basketball season.
Shane Victorino hit a walk-off on the first pitch of his Savannah Bananas debut
Victorino isn't the first former Red Sox player to experience "Banana Ball," following earlier cameos from Bill Lee and Johnny Damon.
The Celtics staved off elimination with a 116-99 win over the Heat in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Tuesday night. Jayson Tatum led Boston with 33 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists.
The series now returns to TD Garden for Game 5 on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. Miami leads 3-1.
The Red Sox lost to the Angels, 4-0. Boston will try to avoid the sweep tonight at 9:38 p.m.
Shane Victorino’s extremely efficient pinch-hit cameo: Former Red Sox outfielder Shane Victorino recently made his debut for the Savannah Bananas, an exhibition baseball team known for crowd-pleasing in-game theatrics.
Stepping up to the plate to the tune of his classic walk-up song, “Three Little Bird” by Bob Marley and the Wailers, Victorino embraced the drama. On the first pitch he saw, the 42-year-old delivered a walk-off base hit.
Advertisement:
Victorino, who helped Boston win the 2013 World Series, offered a short summary of the experience afterward.
“Such a blast,” he tweeted after celebrating the win with his teammates.
Victorino is only the latest former Red Sox player to make a Bananas cameo. Both Bill Lee and Johnny Damon have also taken turns getting the “Banana Ball” experience.
More from Boston.com:
- 8 takeaways as Jayson Tatum, Celtics extend season with Game 4 victory over Heat
- Grant Williams let his play do the talking to help keep Celtics’ season alive down in Miami
- Trout, Moniak and Thaiss homer to help Angels beat Red Sox 4-0
- An off-day gathering ‘galvanized’ a Celtics team not ready to call it quits against Miami
- Aaron Rodgers strains calf during warmups, sits out first Jets practice open to media
- Devin McCourty will join NBC Sports’ ‘Football Night in America’ as an analyst
- Richard Bleier is the latest Red Sox pitcher to join the IL
- NFL, Roger Goodell close to finalizing 3-year contract extension
- Bills safety Damar Hamlin eases back into practice 5 months since near-death experience
- NFL expects fewer kickoff returns with new fair catch rule inside 25
Recapping Game 4: Some highlights from the game and thoughts from the Inside the NBA crew.
Squirrel! A brief moment from Tuesday’s Orioles-Yankees game.
On this day: In 1916, the Red Sox defeated the Tigers 4-0 at Fenway Park. Babe Ruth scattered four hits and three walks over a complete game shutout of Detroit (going 2-for-3 at the plate). Red Sox outfielder Harry Hooper was the star, collecting a pair of hits and making several spectacular catches.
Tigers centerfielder Ty Cobb was thrown out twice trying to steal second base, though (as the Boston Globe account noted at the time) he cleated Red Sox shortstop Hal Janvrin in the process.
“The Georgian slid into the Dorchester one-stepper in the first inning and ripped his right ankle bandage,” wrote Globe correspondent Edward F. Martin, “but this did not frighten Janny any, he was there again when Ty came crashing into the sack in the third frame.”
Daily highlight: The Celtics turned quality defense (and unselfish passing) into a Jaylen Brown dunk to help put the Heat away in Game 4.
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com