HOUSTON — Kevin Millar couldn’t believe his own call.
The NESN color broadcaster and former Red Sox slugger predicted an Adam Duvall home run in the first inning of Boston’s 9-4 loss to Houston in Monday’s series opener. And then he let out an incredulous “WHAT?” right as it happened.
“He’s going deep. This is not a good matchup for Javier,” Millar said after a first-pitch ball from Astros starter Cristian Javier. “I’m telling you, Duvall — this is that last six weeks where he gets going and gets homer-hot.
“But I’m going to call [it] right now, early in the game right now with two outs. He’s doing this; We’re doing it right now. Duvall’s going deep.”
Two pitches later, on a middle-middle 93.8 mph four-seam fastball, Duvall smashed a three-run home run beyond the Crawford Boxes in left field at Minute Maid Park. Duvall finished the night 3-for-5, falling a triple shy of the cycle.
“Are you kidding me? Oh my, Kevin Millar,” said Dave O’Brien, his play-by-play partner. “Millar called it, seconds before it happened.”
“I know it felt weird,” Millar responded. “It was the first inning with two outs, but I had to go out there and do it.
“It just felt right at that time.”
