The longest home run in Major League Baseball this year traveled 484 feet. Steven Souza’s “homer” Wednesday night made it about 40.
The Tampa Bay Rays outfielder came to bat in the eighth inning against the Washington Nationals with a runner on first and a steady rain falling. Rather than try to drive a two-run homer over the fence, Souza opted to lay down a bunt to the left side.
Miraculously, it had the same result.
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Remember that time in Little League when you hit a weak ground ball to the pitcher and wound up scoring after the other team made five errors in a row? That’s exactly what happened here.
Nationals pitcher Blake Treinen sailed his throw over the first baseman’s head, allowing Souza to advance to third, and Bryce Harper’s throw from right field careened into the Rays dugout to complete Souza’s “Little League homer.”
Yet that crazy play wasn’t the only highlight of Souza’s night. The 26-year-old, who played for the Nationals last season, took Washington pitcher Jordan Zimmerman deep for an actual home run in the second inning.
Souza, if you’ll recall, saved Zimmerman’s no-hitter late last season with an incredible diving catch in the ninth inning. Zimmerman definitely wasn’t as happy with Souza after Wednesday, as the outfielder finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored in Tampa’s 5-0 win.
Thumbnail photo via Alex Brandon/Associated Press
