Watch: Billy Hamilton defies gravity to make incredible home run robbery
There have been some pretty incredible defensive plays in the majors this year, but a home run-robbing snag by the Reds’ Billy Hamilton Friday is certainly in the running for catch of the year.
Hamilton has been a virtual highlight reel of great catches throughout his career, and this one in Cincinnati’s 9-1 win over the Cardinals is up there with his best.
With two out in the bottom of the seventh, the St. Louis’ Matt Carpenter hit a bomb to center field. It was a high fly ball to the 400 foot mark that just kept carrying.
No debate: @BillyHamilton with the CATCH. OF. THE. YEAR.#RedsCountry https://t.co/EAsdWFBcCu
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) July 14, 2018
Hamilton was tracking it as he drifted back until he ran out of room. The center fielder timed his leap perfectly, kicking with one leg off the wall to get a little more height on his jump.
He was head and shoulders above the wall when he made the grab and fell back on to the field.
Billy Hamilton has that effect on people.#RedsCountry pic.twitter.com/2E9Odg839T
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) July 14, 2018
“Unbelievable,” Reds manager Jim Riggleman said of Hamilton’s catch, reported the Cincinnati Enquirer. “Billy does that to a lot of hitters.”
He’s done it to Carpenter twice, in fact, according to ESPN.
Billy Hamilton now has 3 career HR robberies…the last two have been against the Cardinals and both are against Matt Carpenter (other: April 15, 2016) at Busch Stadium
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) July 14, 2018
“I’ve never seen a catch like that before, live,” Reds reliever Amir Garrett said, according to MLB.com.
“I think that has to be one of the greatest catches I have seen in my life. Billy is, in my opinion, he’s the best center fielder in the game. There’s not anyone close to No. 1. To have a guy like that behind you, you never know what he’s going to do. The only thing I haven’t seen is him catching a ball behind his back. He’s done everything else. My face said it all. That was great to be a part of. That was sick,” Garrett added.
Hamilton was surprised it carried so far.
“I actually thought it was a routine popup to be honest with you,” Hamilton said, reported MLB. “It was to the point where I’m not going to make it to the warning track. The way Carpenter hit the ball, it backspins. It kept carrying and carrying. By the time I made my second turn, I was on the warning track. I looked up again and made another turn and I was like, ‘OK, the wall is right here. Let’s try to make a play.’ It happened to be right on time. It gave me enough to actually get up on the wall and bounce myself up.”
Matt Harvey got the win for the Reds. Jesse Winker went 3-for-3 with three RBIs to pace Cincinnati.
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