Home Run

In the grand theater of baseball, sometimes the most magical moments arise from the most unexpected of circumstances. Such was the case on Tuesday night, when Seattle Mariners’ star Julio Rodríguez finally ended his homerless drought in the most dramatic fashion, thanks to an ill-timed comment from the opposing team’s announcer. As Rodríguez dug into the batter’s box against Rangers starter Dane Dunning in the top of the third inning, the voice of Dave Raymond echoed through the Globe Life Park in Arlington, inadvertently setting the stage for a moment that will live on in baseball lore.

In a pivotal National League West matchup, the Arizona Diamondbacks turned to veteran slugger Joc Pederson to provide some punch in the lineup against the San Francisco Giants. After cracking a pinch-hit homer the previous night, Pederson was rewarded with the designated hitter spot and the three-hole in Thursday’s batting order. The former All-Star didn’t disappoint in his expanded role. Pederson jumped on an early mistake pitch from Giants starter Alex Cobb, drilling a no-doubt blast over the right field wall to open the scoring.