God damn son!
Houston Astros’ Josh Reddick made one of the most clutch catches of the MLB season during the Astros’ 4-2 win on Thursday night by climbing the right-field wall and robbing Hunter Pence of what would have been a go-ahead three-run home run in the ninth inning.
The catch stunned the Rangers, thrilled the crowd at Minute Maid Park and lifted the Astros to their fifth win in their last six games.
“I knew it hit my glove and I know I didn’t get it in the webbing; I got it towards the top,” said Reddick, a former Gold Glove Award winner. “I made sure I did the little quick grab and bring it back down before it flopped out of there. I just reached in my glove, and it was there. Definitely a surprise, but at the same time, I had a good feeling I could make it.”
Reddick started the game in left field and had just moved to right field — his typical position in Houston’s outfield alignment — after Michael Brantley drew a pinch-hit bases-loaded walk in the eighth inning and remained in the game in left field. Reddick’s catch, which came with runners on first and third base, helped preserve closer Roberto Osuna’s streak of 24 successful save opportunities.
“When he made the catch, I couldn’t believe it,” said Osuna, who proceeded to strike out Joey Gallo to end the game. “I was just like, ‘Throw to third! Throw to third!’ That’s something that’s hard to explain. That was an unbelievable catch.”
“There’s a different hero every day, every night. Reddick was today,” Osuna said. “Probably the catch of the year, absolutely. Thanks to him, we won the game today.”