Eduardo Escobar's game-ending RBI sealed the White Sox's 1-o win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday but he might not have received the chance if it weren't for the stellar defense of right fielder Alex Rios. Rios made a nice play in right in the first inning, notching a shoestring grab to keep Carlos Gomez off the bases. Two innings later he started a relay from the fence that allowed Gordon Beckham to nail Norichka Aoki at third.
Both highlights, though, paled in comparison to what happend in the fourth. Watch as Rios robs a two-run home run from Corey Hart with a great leaping catch at the wall:
Rios made his way back, found the wall and then reached over the fence on his leap to take away the home run. As Rios made the play, he wasn't really even looking at the ball when it hit his mitt.
"That's the second time I've robbed somebody," Rios said. "I guess it was a pretty good catch."
It's a little surprising to learn that Rios has only robbed two home runs during his career, given his reputation of being an above-average defender.
Speaking as someone who watched the play from the upper deck of The Cell on Sunday, I'll say that the broadcast highlight almost doesn't do Rios' robbery justice. The awkward trajectory of Hart's drive made it seem like there was no way he'd come down with the ball, but he somehow did and the crowd responded with an extended ovation.
Score one for the live-game experience.
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