Yordano Ventura snares Hunter Pence comebacker and does a little Michael Jackson kick
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Yordano Ventura and the Kansas City Royals had Game 6 of the World Series well under their control by the time Hunter Pence came to bat in the sixth inning Tuesday night. The Royals led by nine runs, and Ventura was two outs through the inning when Pence hit a sharp comebacker on the first pitch he saw.
Ventura reached back and snared the ball before it could bounce up the middle for a hit. Pence already had a double in Game 6 after coming in 9 for 19 with three walks and a 1.282 on-base plus slugging percentage. Keeping him off base is cause for at least minor celebration, which Ventura appeared to do by kicking his leg like Michael Jackson would have done in a music video. (Or, perhaps in life.)
It was a funky end to the sixth, and the Royals continued to dominate in a 10-0 victory that ensured a deciding Game 7 would happen Wednesday night.
Ventura was feeling all kinds of emotions given the predicament his team faced — elimination — but also because his friend Oscar Taveras was buried earlier in the day after dying in an automobile crash, along with his girlfriend, Edilia Arvelo, which happened over the weekend in the Dominican Republic. Ventura dedicated Game 6 to Taveras, a slugger with the St. Louis Cardinals, who was just 22 years old.
Ventura, a 23-year-old in his first full major league season, did not want his reactions against the Giants to be misunderstood.
“I didn’t have any bad intentions toward Pence, or the Giants or anybody,” he told Big League Stew. “It was just the emotions of the game. I play with heart. I caught the ball and was happy, and that’s how I play. Dominicans have that swagger, you know? It’s nothing against the Giants or Pence.”
In addition to fielding his position well, Ventura appears to have the makings of a good dancer.
“I’m a good dancer, but I don’t like to dance,” Ventura said.
What’s wrong with dancing?
“I sweat too much on the baseball field, so I don’t want to sweat off the baseball field,” Ventura said.
Ah, don’t sweat it.
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David Brown is an editor for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter!
