PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – If you are anything like me more time was spent referencing quotes from the movie Tommy Boy and the fictional character Tommy Callahan than really thinking what Ty Callihan might do against the Dodgers and Shohei Ohtani Wednesday night.
The three-time NL MVP had a 0.74 ERA coming into the game. Oneil Cruz was out, Konnor Griffin was already out and seeing Callihan in right field probably didn’t signal ‘hero’ to you as the game started.
Even after he hit his first career home run off Ohtani in the fourth inning, the Dodgers would answer with a grand slam in the sixth and it’s 6-1. It seemed the 25-year-old would be a footnote in a fifth straight loss.
Then in the seventh the former Reds draft pick drew a walk to lead off the inning and would later score as part of a three-run frame to cut the LA lead to 6-4.
Then in the eighth with two on and nobody out.
“When (Pirates third base coach Tony) Beasley didn't give me the bunt sign, I was like, 'alright, I have the opportunity to make an impact in this game.' Luckily left the changeup up, and I was able to get to it”. Callihan said.
Get it he did, 394 feet, well over the Clemente Wall as he admired it for a few moments off Dodgers reliever Kyle Hurt.
“Yeah, that was awesome,” said Pirates starting pitcher Jared Jones. “Probably one of the best days I've ever seen at the big-league level. Homer off Ohtani for your first homer in the big leagues and then taking the lead with the second one of the day.”
“Just unbelievable.”
"A first home run's always special,” said Pirates Spencer Horwitz. “To have your first two in one game and against one of the best pitcher in the world makes it even more special. The cherry on top, to give us the lead in the eighth — that's movie stuff. You can't ask for much more than that."
“To hit two on the same night and the second one to put us ahead, but then to hit it off of Ohtani, and then to have it later in a big moment in the eighth inning,” said Pirates manager Don Kelly. “Yeah, speechless on that.”
Callihan had six at bats with the Reds last year and was Cincinnati’s 19th best prospect. In the middle of spring training a few months ago, the Pirates went out and got the mostly infielder, trading MLB reliever Kyle Nicolas for him.
He only played nine games in Grapefruit League action with the Pirates and has been in Indianapolis most of the season, it was an opportunity to respond with his still relatively new teammates.
Huge Pirates comeback win vs Dodgers
“I just want to do it for them,” Callihan said. “Everybody's given their all out there every day. Everybody works so hard at practice, so to be able to contribute and to be able to be the one that steps up in that time — I mean, we had a lot of guys grind out at-bats and grind out pitches and plays that were made today.”
“So it's great to be able to make that impact for the boys.”
What an impact and a potentially huge win this season.
LISTEN to Ty Callihan postgame & praise from teammates, manager
LISTEN to Ty Callihan postgame & praise from teammates, manager
