The Phillies might have come up short Monday night but one father hit a home run with his amazing catch.
With the Phillies down two runs in the bottom of the ninth, Phillies slugger Maikel Franco launched a pitch from Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen toward the left field stands. The homer got the Phillies to within one run but the lasting memory of it was Dan Alvarez’s amazing one-handed grab while holding his 2-month-old son.
"I heard the crack of the bat and I was like, 'that has to be a home run,'" Alvarez told NBC10's Tim Furlong. "It was instant reaction so I reached over but at the same time I rememebred I had a baby."
Alvarez’s home run ball grab even caught the attention of Phillies play-by-play guy Tom McCarthy.
“That guy with a baby in hand caught that home run,” McCarthy said during the broadcast.
Slow-motion video showed just how impressive the grab really was. Alvarez had to reach across his body with his right arm and over at least two other Phillies fans to snag the ball. All while cradling his Phillies onesie-clad son, Mason, in his left arm.
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Take into account that the ball allegedly had an exit velocity of 97 mph and traveled 361 feet... wow!
NBC10's Tim Furlong spoke to the Chester County resident about his grab (that almost overshadowed the standing ovations for Chase Utley’s final regular season series at Citizens Bank Park) Tuesday.
Mason's first baseball game certainly isn't one to forget.
The ball will eventually make its way to Mason's room but not before Franco signs it, something the Phillies are making happen.
"I can't wait for him to grow and we show him all the videos," mother Megan Bortle said.
Despite the joy of the catch, not all was well as the Phillies lost by one run to fall into a first-place tie in National League East.
