With two runners on base during the bottom of the sixth inning Wednesday, Reds relief pitcher Michael Lorenzen was just trying to lay down a bunt.
He nearly struck out, falling to the dirt and losing his helmet after an inside, two-strike pitch deflected off his bat. He originally squared to bunt, then pulled his bat back.
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Taylor Williams went up-and-in with an 84 mph slider. A two-strike foul ball on a bunt is a strikeout, but home-plate umpire Tony Randazzo apparently ruled that Lorenzen wasn't in the act of bunting.
Brewers Manager Craig Counsell appeared to argue that Lorenzen was attempting to bunt and should've been out.
Given new life in the at-bat and the green light to swing, Lorenzen crushed a three-run home run to left field. As soon as Lorenzen saw where the ball was headed, he skipped out of the batter's box and flipped his bat. He shouted once he rounded first base and clapped his hands at home plate before slapping hands with his teammates.
It gave the Reds a four-run lead in an eventual 13-12, 10-inning loss.
It was Lorenzen's fourth home run of the season, and his third against the Brewers. He has six home runs in his career.
No history buff
If free-agent pitcher Phil Hughes is looking for a job, he can probably cross the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs off his list.
The 32-year-old right-hander is not likely to be welcomed to Boston or Chicago after expressing his strong dislike on Twitter for Fenway Park and Wrigley Field -- the respective historic home ballparks of the Red Sox and Cubs.
The former New York Yankees, Minnesota Twins and San Diego Padres hurler shared his "unpopular opinion" Tuesday night on social media. His exact words being, "beyond the history, Wrigley and Fenway both suck."
It seems baseball fans were not ready for Hughes' opinion as his Twitter mentions later Tuesday night and Wednesday morning were laced with passionate responses.
"There's nothing like waking up to riots in your mentions," he tweeted back.
Slow start for Bolt
Usain Bolt, the greatest sprinter in track and field history, retired last year at the IAAF World Championships, pulling up in his final race, the 400 relay, with a hamstring injury.
But once he healed, Bolt turned his attention to another favorite sport: soccer. On Friday, he made his professional debut with the Central Coast Mariners of the Hyundai A-League, the top level in Australia.
Bolt came on in the 71st minute of a game the Mariners were dominating. They were playing a preseason friendly with Central Coast Select and were up 6-0 when Bolt, 32, entered to a loud ovation from the crowd of just under 10,000.
Wearing No. 95, a nod to his 100-meter world record time of 9.58 seconds, Bolt played 19 minutes and attempted one shot.
"I was a little bit nervous, but as soon as I got on the field, I think the nerves kind of went," Bolt said. "I wish I had more touches but I'm not fit yet. I just got to put in the work, get up to speed, and I'm looking forward to a great season."
QUIZ
Where did Cincinnati Reds pitcher Michael Lorenzen play college baseball?
ANSWER
Cal State Fullerton
Sports on 09/01/2018