BOSTON — Giancarlo Stanton has been plunked plenty of times. But by his own home run ball?
The New York Yankees star homered over the Green Monster on Saturday, connecting in the seventh inning against the Boston Red Sox. Stanton then got quite a surprise from a strong-armed fan while rounding second base at Fenway Park.
A man wearing a black T-shirt heaved the souvenir from his first-row seat on top of the left-field wall, and the ball took a hop and bounced off Stanton. The slugger continued his home run trot, but turned his head, smiled and appeared to tip his cap to the fan.
The game was briefly halted as umpires gathered near the third-base line to point out the fan to stadium security officials.
Stanton’s solo homer, the Yankees’ 266th of the season, increased New York’s lead to 8-2. Gleyber Torres hit a two-run homer in the fourth to snap the Yankees’ tie with the 1997 Seattle Mariners for the most in a single season in major league history.