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Kyle Tucker played the role of the hero for the Houston Astros in their 7-6 win over the Baltimore Orioles Tuesday night. Tucker unleashed a clutch grand slam at the expense of Orioles star closer Felix Bautista in the ninth inning that turned a three-run deficit into a one-run lead for the Astros.
It was not just like any other grand slam because what Tucker just did was something MLB fans had not seen in at least the last 110 years.
“Kyle Tucker's grand slam for the @astros tonight came off of Félix Bautista (0.85 ERA entering the game). Since ERA became an official stat in 1913, no other MLB player has hit a grand slam in the 9th or later off a pitcher who entered the game with a sub-1.00 ERA (min. 30 IP),” tweeted OptaSTATS.
Tucker battled against Baustita for nine pitches. He found himself behind the count right away, as he got a strike in the first two offerings from Bautista but got a ball in each of the next two pitches and fouled four pitches in a row before launching the ball into orbit and driving Jon Singleton, Jose Altuve, and Yordan Alvarez home.
“I was just trying to get something over the plate and just kind of grind through it,” Kyle Tucker told reporters after the game, via AP (h/t ESPN). “I was just able to catch one out in front and time it well and put a good swing on it.”
Tucker is slashing .297/.377/.889 with 20 home runs and 82 RBIs in 408 at-bats this season.
