In a switch, Kendrys Morales delivered some chin music to a pitcher
How in the world did Houston pitcher Collin McHugh avoid that ball?
It’s a question baseball fans were asking Tuesday night when Oakland designated hitter Kendrys Morales hit a screaming liner back at McHugh on the mound. It’s usually the batter who has to avoid the chin music, but this time McHugh had to get out of the way.
The deft move by McHugh led to a number “Matrix” jokes on social media.
“I saw the ball come off the bat but I was in a weird fielding position so I kind of like whiffed on it with my glove and then by that time I was just already falling over so it was like, I just kept going and the ball just kept tracking,” McHugh told reporters after the game. “It would have tested how strong my jaw is for sure. Thankfully we were able to get a double play out of it. Routine, just how you draw it up. ... I don’t know if it gets much closer than that.”
Indeed, a double play was turned:
Here is a slow-motion look at the play, and it really is remarkable that the ball didn’t hit McHugh or his glove:
This story was originally published April 17, 2019 at 8:23 AM.
