Those who say bunting is a dying art in baseball didn’t watch Tuesday’s Los Angeles Angels game.
The Angels already had scored three runs in the ninth inning to force extra innings against the Texas Rangers at Angel Stadium. With runners at the corners and one out, L.A. had a golden opportunity to win in dramatic fashion.
And it did just that: with a little bit of small ball. Angels pinch hitter Carlos Perez dropped a perfect bunt down the first base line as Cameron Maybin scampered home from third base, and the top-notch safety squeeze gave L.A. a 6-5 walk-off win.
It’s hard to place a bunt better than this. First baseman Mike Napoli had no choice but to hope the ball rolled foul, but it performed a tightrope act on the inside of the foul line before coming to a stop in fair territory.
The bunt was Perez’s first hit of the season, but it helped cap another thrilling win for the Angels, who improved to 6-2 on the young season.
Thumbnail photo via Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports Images
