Pirates Prospect Makes Stunning Game-Winning Home Run Robbery

Ninth inning. Two outs. Go-ahead run at the plate. It doesn’t get better than this.
Pirates Prospect Makes Stunning Game-Winning Home Run Robbery
Pirates Prospect Makes Stunning Game-Winning Home Run Robbery /
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Pirates prospect Jase Bowen went 0-for-4 in the Greensboro Grasshoppers’ game against the Asheville Tourists on Saturday, but he more than made up for it in the field. 

Greensboro carried a 5–3 lead into the ninth inning and called on reliever Eddy Yean to close it out. After giving up two singles, there were two runners on with two out as Jacob Melton, the top prospect in the Astros’ system, came to the plate. Melton hit a long fly ball to dead center that looked for sure like it would be a go-ahead homer, but Bowen tracked it down and perfectly timed his leap, bringing it back over the wall for the final out of the game. 

It was an amazing play that was worthy of the subsequent elated celebration from Bowen and his teammates. 

Bowen isn’t the only player to have recorded the final out on a home run robbery in recent weeks. Back on July 28, the Cubs beat the Cardinals when Mike Tauchman pulled back a ball hit by Alec Burleson. In that case, it was the bottom of the ninth and Burleson represented the winning run. Bowen’s catch didn’t have quite the same stakes, but it was just as impressive. 


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Dan Gartland
DAN GARTLAND

Dan Gartland is the writer and editor of Sports Illustrated’s flagship daily newsletter, SI:AM, covering everything an educated sports fan needs to know. He joined the SI staff in 2014, having previously been published on Deadspin and Slate. Gartland, a graduate of Fordham University, is a former Sports Jeopardy! champion (Season 1, Episode 5).