BOSTON — Romy Gonzalez waited a few feet before second base, watching as Tigers centerfielder Parker Meadows tried to steal the moment.

When Meadows leapt up against the wall in straightaway center, but couldn’t grab it, the Red Sox second baseman took off, launching himself off second base and motored toward third.

“Once that ball hit off the wall. I’m like ‘I gotta get to home,’” Gonzalez said.

As he turned the corner, passing Kyle Hudson waving him home, Gonzalez could see the whole moment laid out before him.

His teammates were pouring out of the Red Sox dugout, the crowd of 37,052, down the first base line was already celebrating.

Gonzalez slowed up as he approached the plate. He didn’t want to just run over it. This was a time for planting his foot directly.

So he pulled his

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