Adam Jones hit a home run in Friday’s game against the Rays, and the Orioles ended up winning the game, so he had plenty to smile about by game’s end. That didn’t mean it was all smiles along the way.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, with the Orioles still trailing the Rays 3-0, Jones hit a fly ball to left field that looked like it might be able to clear the fence in left field. Rays left fielder Taylor Motter, drifted back towards the fence, reached up his glove, and as he bumped into the fence, caught the ball.
Following the game, Orioles manager Buck Showalter joked that the play made him think “about how courteous our fans are.” There was no attempt to interfere with Motter making the play.
Jones, who was almost to second base when Motter hauled the ball in, reacted a bit differently:
This is how @SimplyAJ10 responded when @taylormotter7 robbed him of a home run: https://t.co/ZOGR6Rcxcp pic.twitter.com/yyEUiKqt1I
— Cut4 (@Cut4) June 25, 2016
All’s well that ends well. Jones got his home run after all later in the game, his 14th of the season, and the Orioles went on to win the series opener on Friday night.