Former Red Sox World Series Champions Return To Fenway Park Mound

The Savannah Bananas returned to Fenway Park for their unique blend of entertaining baseball. They welcomed two former Boston Red Sox relief pitchers to the party.

Saturday marked the first of two weekend games at Fenway as part of the traveling team’s world tour. The Bananas, a baseball version of the Harlem Globetrotters, called a pair of World Series champions from their bullpen.

Matt Barnes first made his Fenway return in the fourth inning. The longtime Red Sox, who spent nine seasons with the organization, pitched the Bananas out of a bases-loaded jam.

Later in the exhibition, the Bananas introduced Keith Foulke to a rousing ovation. The shutdown closer from the 2004 World Series champions recorded a groundout on his only pitch. Savanah’s third baseman went between the legs before throwing out a runner at second base.

Each pitcher played a huge role in a Boston championship. Foulke allowed one run over 14 lights-out innings during the 2004 playoffs and registered the final out of the World Series to snap the franchise’s 86-year title drought.

In 2018, Barnes yielded one run in 10 postseason appearances. The 2021 All-Star shouldn’t have been as rusty as Foulke, as he pitched for the Washington Nationals last year.

Foulke, on the other hand, last played for the Oakland Athletics in 2008. The 52-year-old hadn’t pitched at Fenway Park since 2006.

It’s not the first time the Bananas deployed a former Red Sox closer. Jonathan Papelbon was among the team’s old players to appear for them during last year’s trip to Fenway.

The fun continued on Sunday. One of Barnes’ 2018 teammates, utilityman Brock Holt, emerged from the stands and danced his way to the batter’s box for an at-bat.