Major League Baseball

Myers hits grand slam for first homer

Published Jun. 22, 2013 1:00 a.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

foxsports

A player's first week in the big leagues can be a memorable occasion, but Wil Myers' first week was on another level.

The reigning Minor League Player of the Year was pulled out of Sunday’s Triple-A Durham Bulls game after one at-bat and told he would be heading to play with the Tampa Bay Rays. Just six days later, Myers had a career first: He hit a grand slam at Yankee Stadium for his first home run in the majors.

Check out the memorable moment in the video below.

The Rays trailed 3-1 when the Yankees intentionally walked Evan Longoria with two outs to get to Myers.

The rookie came in hitting .190 in five games since he was called up from the minors at the beginning of the week. He'd had exactly one hit in four straight games before going 3 for 4 on Saturday in his first start as a designated hitter.

Longoria was 2 for 2 with a double and a solo homer that accounted for the Rays' lone run when the Yankees intentionally walked him. On a 1-2 count, Myers hit a high fly to center. Brett Gardner jumped at the fence and the ball bounced off the webbing of his glove and into the stands, though it appeared to already be over the wall when he touched it.

''It was just awesome to be down two strikes and the crowd cheering and to be able to put a swing like that on it,'' Myers said. ''Just a cool experience.''

Myers became the first visiting player to hit a grand slam at Yankee Stadium for his first career home run since Detroit's Ricky Peters in 1980. Myers is the second player in club history with a grand slam for that first homer. Jorge Velandia did it in 2007, also against the Yankees.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

share

Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Major League Baseball