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This incredible fact adds to wild Phillies walk-off win
Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Otto Kemp. Mady Mertens-Imagn Images

This incredible fact adds to wild Phillies walk-off win

Walk-off catcher interferences don't happen often. Unless you're Philadelphia Phillies rookie first baseman Otto Kemp.

On Monday, the Phillies defeated the Boston Red Sox, 3-2, in extra innings with a walk-off catcher interference after Red Sox catcher Carlos Narvaez contacted Phillies pinch hitter Edmundo Sosa's bat on his bases loaded swing in the bottom of the 10th inning.

With the win, the Phillies (57-43) maintained their half-game lead over the New York Mets (57-44) for first in the NL East.

Kemp was on second base for Monday's wild turn of events, but he much closer to the action when the Phillies' Double-A affiliate, the Reading Fightin Phils, won on a walk-off catcher interference last September, according to Fighting Phils media relations director Jake Starr.

Kemp was the batter that time, with the winning run scoring after Marlins rookie catcher Liam Hicks was called for interference.

Kemp made his major league debut a little over a month ago on June 7. He's gotten off to a promising start, entering Monday slashing .260/.330/385 with two home runs and 12 RBI in 106 plate appearances (96 at-bats).

Walk-off catcher interferences are exceedingly rare, with the most recent in MLB before Monday occurring way back on August 1, 1971, when the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Cincinnati Reds, 5-4, in 11 innings.

It's a highly unusual way for a ballgame to end, and for one player to be on the diamond during two occurrences in less than a calendar year is one of those oddities that only baseball could seem to produce.

Eric Smithling

Eric Smithling is a writer based in New Orleans, LA, whose byline also appears on Athlon Sports. He has been with Yardbarker since September 2022, primarily covering the NFL and college football, but also the NBA, WNBA, men’s and women’s college basketball, NHL, tennis and golf. He holds a film studies degree from the University of New Orleans

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