Pirates' Ben Gamel hits home run in last at-bat before daughter's birth
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Ben Gamel understandably could've had other things than the task at hand on his mind when he stepped into the box for his second at-bat of Tuesday's spring training clash with the Baltimore Orioles.
As Jason Mackey noted for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Gamel played Tuesday afternoon hours before his wife, Lauren, was set to be induced for the birth of their daughter, the couple's first child. The 29-year-old commemorated the moment with an opposite-field home run that entertained the commentary crew and onlookers who knew the story behind what just occurred:
"Always feels good to hit homers, but it’s a little more special today, for sure," Gamel later said. He also explained he played Tuesday so he could enjoy a little more time with Lauren and new baby Delilah Marie following the birth which wasn't expected to occur until around 6 p.m. ET.
Per Justice delos Santos of the MLB website, Tuesday's matchup between the Pirates and Orioles occurred in Bradenton, meaning Gamel had to drive approximately four hours to Jacksonville after he went deep.
"We all knew he was getting out of here today to have his baby," Pittsburgh right-hander JT Brubaker added. "For him to hit that home run and then get out right afterward, that's pretty cool. I'm sure he's going to enjoy that and enjoy his first-born even more."
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