Gamecocks in the Pros: Jackie Bradley Jr. Making Early Impact For Red Sox

Apr 7, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. (25) hits an RBI single during the fourth inning against the Texas Rangers at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Former South Carolina Gamecocks outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. started in right field for the Boston Red Sox in the home opener at Fenway Park and definitely made the most of the opportunity.

Bradley was 3-4 from the plate, driving in 2 runs, scoring a run, and also making a couple great catches in the challenging right field of Fenway. He started off with a great sliding catch on the run to end the second inning to prevent a run from scoring. Then in the bottom of second, he hit a bullet back up the middle to give the Red Sox a 1-0 lead. In the top of the third, he made a catch at the track after getting a poor jump and realized he’d need to run it down and did so to get the first out. In the fourth inning, with runners on the corners, the left-handed hitter had a hard liner the other direction to left field to put the Red Sox back up top 2-1.  Finally, in the bottom of the eighth, with runners on first and second, Bradley reached on an almost perfect bunt between first and second base. Prince Fielder threw the ball away on the throw to first and allowed another run to score for the Red Sox. Ultimately they ended up winning 5-1, and moved the Red Sox to 3-4 on the young season.

Bradley is now leading the team in hitting for the season with a .375 avg, and also is second in RBI. A key player for the South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team from 2009-2011, he helped them win 2 national championships, and was named Most Outstanding Player of the College World Series of 2010.  He was drafted 40th overall in the supplemental first round by the Boston Red Sox in 2011.