(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The Houston Astros reached the ninth inning of their Tuesday game against the Baltimore Orioles down 6-3 in the score.
When the O’s have a lead in the last inning, they usually end up winning because they have a legitimate Cy Young candidate in closer Felix Bautista.
Yet Bautista took the ball in the ninth and loaded the bases with a walk and two singles.
He had gotten just one out when Kyle Tucker came to the box.
After fending off a few nasty 100-mph heaters, the outfielder ripped one high to right field as the people at Camden Yards looked on in shock at how their team turned a 6-3 lead into a 7-6 deficit.
Astros closer Ryan Pressly then closed things out and secured a victory that no one saw coming.
Tucker has been marvelous on the road so far this year.
“On the road this year, Kyle Tucker of the @astros has: – hit 3 HR in a game – had a 20+ game hitting streak – hit a grand slam with his team down 3 in the 9th. Only one other player in MLB history has accomplished all 3 of those feats on the road in his entire career: Babe Ruth,” OptaSTATS tweeted.
On the road this year, Kyle Tucker of the @astros has:
– hit 3 HR in a game
– had a 20+ game hitting streak
– hit a grand slam with his team down 3 in the 9th
Only one other player in MLB history has accomplished all 3 of those feats on the road in his entire career: Babe Ruth. pic.twitter.com/NdkJcbuHcX
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) August 9, 2023
When you do something that only Babe Ruth has done, you can be sure it’s an incredible achievement.
It’s very hard to have a 20+ game hitting streak while playing away and perhaps even harder to hit three homers in the same game against the opposing team’s fans.
What he did on Tuesday night might be his ultimate achievement this year, though, as Bautista had an ERA below 1.00 before the night.
Most players perform better at home, but Tucker is a unicorn: he has a .783 OPS at Minute Maid Park and a .986 mark while playing in other parks.
He is a special player.
The post Kyle Tucker Has Become A True Road Warrior appeared first on The Cold Wire.