The Twins series finale with the White Sox on Thursday ended as a rain-shortened 3-0 loss. But, if you didn’t catch Tuesday night’s win against the White Sox, Byron Buxton delivered one of the most clutch moments of his career. With two down in the top of the ninth, the Twins were an out away from securing a 4-2 win over their division foe. The Sox were threatening, with runners on second and third and slugger Andrew Benintendi at the plate. Benintendi sent a deep-shot into right center field that had trouble written all over it, but Byron Buxton had different plans in mind. Buxton covered nearly 40-yards of outfield grass before stretching through the air like Superman to make, what he says, is one of the greatest catches of his career. See the play for yourself here and listen to more great Twins action all season long on KGFX 1060 AM and 103.1 FM in the Pierre area. Given the moment, the importance of the game and what it took to make the play, Buxton said that play tops any he other he has made in his 11 seasons in the MLB.
Buxton wasn’t the only one amazed or impressed with his own feat, here’s what others around the organization thought about it, recalling some of Buxton’s other great plays over the last few seasons as a comparison:
“It was Mother’s Day. Cleveland. We lost the game. Carlos Santana crushed one to right-center … Buxton made an awesome catch up against the wall. His glasses came off, cap came off. It was such an unbelievable play. The impact of the wall, the catch and then the visual of his glasses and cap all falling off, that was my favorite.
“I think [Tuesday] was obviously incredible because it was a game-saving play, but to me, the visual of him in Cleveland, slamming against the wall, catching it, back on the ground, warning track in right-center, with the cap and the glasses all off, is No. 1 for me.” said Cory Provus, Twins TV play-by-play voice
Dustin Morse, Twins senior vice president, communications and public affairs said, “Toronto, Players’ Weekend. Up against the wall, just boom. That was one that stands out. There was the one in Cleveland, that’s probably No. 1, and then Toronto.
“But No. 3 might have been [Tuesday]. Just because the team needed something. What I can tell you in my role is, there are postgame wins, and then there was [Tuesday’s] win. Byron did the postgame interview, and everybody was up here waiting for Byron Buxton. And he came in — I’m getting goosebumps thinking about it — he ran in, and everybody went nuts. And then he did a lap and gave everybody a high-five all the way around.”
“Before I came to the Twins, I remember seeing this post that said, ‘70 percent of Earth is covered by water. The rest is covered by Byron Buxton.’ It was a play where he covered a ridiculous amount of ground. He covered a lot of ground, then he caught it, he slid, and he covered a lot of ground. He was coming in so fast and then he just went.” said Twins favorite, Pablo Lopez.
Twins pitcher Chris Paddack has seen a few Buxton miracle plays, “I don’t necessarily have a favorite catch for Buck, just because there are so many good ones that I’ve been on the mound for or in the dugout, tipping my cap from the top rail. That one was pretty special, just because, just the way the game was going. We finally got a lead, we’re holding the lead, division rival, we’re at home. I felt like we needed that. It was just a spark, the moment itself. The guy that tracks down balls for a living with platinum on his glove, if he says that’s his favorite, I’m going to have to agree with him and say that was pretty special.”
Rest assured, there will be more great plays from the Twins all season long on KGFX 1060 AM and 103.1 FM in the Pierre area.
Comments