In sports, sometimes you’re the hero, sometimes you’re the goat, and sometimes you’re both.
Tommy Pham was both during the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 3-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday, contributing to both sides of the game’s crazy ending.
With the Pirates trailing 2-1 in the top of the ninth, the veteran outfielder was the hero. He led off the inning with a game-tying solo homer off Yennier Cano, ripping a 376-foot rocket over the left-field wall for his ninth homer of the season.
Two innings later, however, disaster struck.
With the bases loaded and nobody out in the bottom of the 11th, Samuel Basallo lifted a fly ball down the left-field line. Pham sprinted over and slid, but didn’t get there in time. The ball bounced off his glove in fair territory and landed in foul territory.
Story continues below advertisement
The umpires initially called the ball foul, but correctly overturned the call to a fair ball after a crew chief review, giving Basallo a game-winning single and the Orioles a 3-2 walk-off victory at Camden Yards.
Even if Pham had caught the ball, the run probably would have still scored anyway, as it would have been very difficult for him to get up and throw home in time to beat Gunnar Henderson. Still, it was a disappointing ending for Pham and his teammates after such a tense game.
The play sealed Pittsburgh’s fourth straight loss and ninth walk-off loss of the season. The Pirates will try to bounce back on Wednesday behind Paul Skenes, who leads MLB with a 1.98 ERA and is coming off three consecutive wins.
Story continues below advertisement
He’ll face Tyler Wells, who’s making only his second start of the year for Baltimore after missing most of the season due to elbow surgery.
More Pirates: Lopsided Brewers Series Hits Surging Pirates With Painful Reality Check
Featured image via Ron Chenoy/Imagn Images