Avisaíl García, the disorienting ceiling at the Trop, and the atrocious eyesight of Randal Grichuk all combined to give the Rays’ DH an atypical, embarrassing, inside-the-park dong during the Toronto-Tampa game on Tuesday night. In the third inning, facing Clayton Richard, García hit a high fly into right, where it looked like Grichuk could lazily make an out. Instead, as Grichuk moved in for the catch, viewers got treated to the delightful surprise of a ball landing like 20 feet behind him and bouncing all the way to the wall as García motored around the bases.
The Jays’ right fielder didn’t seem especially shamed by his unofficial error, at least judging by his slow trot to retrieve the recalcitrant baseball, and his hesitancy aided García in his dash for home. The former White Sox is at best an average runner, but there wasn’t even a play at the plate as he scored an outright robbery of a run to put the Rays up 2-0.
Some may look at the Rays’ ballpark and see a shoddy, unwelcoming, unloved little warehouse. But for Avisaíl García, this is his friendly, helpful new home.