Slade Cecconi’s first career strikeout in the majors in the first inning of the Arizona Diamondbacks’ 4-2 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night might go down as one of the most unique.
The ball wound up stuck high in catcher Jose Herrera’s inner thigh.
Just more than a month past his 24th birthday, the Arizona right-hander threw a 3-2 fastball to Giants leadoff man LaMonte Wade Jr.
Photo: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY
The ball grazed off the knob end of Wade’s bat and Herrera somehow pinned the ball in his leg without letting it hit the ground.
“I ... threw one right at him and Jose did a great job putting his cup on today. And we got the strikeout,” Cecconi said.
Initially ruled a hit by pitch, the D-backs challenged the call and it was overturned to a strikeout.
“It’s going to be talked about for a long time,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “You can’t dream up how you get your first career strikeout. Look, he one day will be able to tell a great story about my first one and nobody will believe it, you’ll have to go to the tape for proof of that, but we had a good laugh about it in the dugout. But what he did was, he settled in after that and made pitches and did a really good job.”
It will be memorable for Herrera, too — also a first in his catching career. He was sore afterward.
“It wasn’t supposed to be like that for his first strikeout, but it was fun that we got it for him. And I held the ball long enough and it was a good experience,” he said. “No hands. Tried to hold it with my pants as long as I could.”
Giants manager Gabe Kapler backed the call.
“If he catches the ball, it’s an out, if he traps it against his chest, anywhere,” Kapler said. “If the ball doesn’t hit the ground, it’s an out. That’s my understanding.”
Elsewhere on Wednesday, it was:
Marlins 9, Phillies 8
Cubs 16, Reds 6
Braves 12, Angels 5
Dodgers 10, Athletics 1
Nationals 3, Brewers 2
Astros 3, Guardians 2
Cardinals 7, Twins 3
Mariners 6, Red Sox 3
Rockies 1, Padres 11
Pirates 3, Tigers 6
Blue Jays 4, Orioles 1
Yankees 7, Rays 2
Rangers 11, White Sox 1
Royals 4, Mets 0
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