According to Statcast, Mercado covered 90 feet as he raced toward the wall. The play had a 40% catch probability according to Statcasts metrics. Indians supervisor Terry Francona called the grab vital in his postgame remarks.
CLEVELAND, Ohio– Oscar Mercado says he would rather make a game-saving catch in the outfield than come up with a clutch bases-loaded hit at the plate. In Tuesdays 5-3 Cleveland Indians win against the Chicago White Sox, the 25-year-old center fielder did both.
Mercado, on a dead sprint, snagged a smash off the bat of Chicagos Zack Collins prior to crashing into the wall in left center field to avoid a run from scoring in the bottom of the eighth inning. In the 4th inning, his line-drive single to entrusted to the bases filled scored a set of runs and offered the Indians a 5-1 lead.
Last year, Mercado turned in a jumping grab on a rocket off the bat of White Sox slugger Eloy Jimenez with the bases packed Sept. 4 to stun the White Sox and preserved an Indians victory. On Tuesday, history repeated itself.
” I seemed like I got a great bead on it,” Mercado said. “The ball was carrying and Greg (Allen) did a great task of letting me understand where the wall was. As soon as I heard wall, wall, wall, I knew my only alternative was to just leap … Thankfully the ball entered (my glove), so Im pleased.”
” I think those people might be getting tired of me,” Mercado stated afterward, comparing the two catches. Weve got to do the exact same in the outfield.”
Mercado stated his bases-loaded hit in the 4th offered a little bit of redemption versus White Sox righty Steve Cishek, who had actually struck him out in the seventh inning of the first game in Tuesdays doubleheader.
” Its stating the obvious,” Francona said. “But thats a game-saver right there.”
” Its always good when youre able to come through come through like that in a big situation,” he stated. “Im simply glad I had the ability to get competitive and wasnt going to let him get me twice in the same day. Im happy I stayed with my approach and I got a good pitch to strike.”
” Its nice to search for on the scoreboard and see you got 2 wins against a great team like that,” he said. “Being able to come out and make a declaration that were not going anywhere, were still the exact same team we were in 2015 and much better. Its great and we feel great right now.”
With two out in the 8th, Chicagos Jose Abreu doubled and came around to score on a base hit to left by Nicky Delmonico against Indians reliever Dominic Leone. Collins stepped in, wanting to cut the Cleveland lead further as he drove the first pitch he saw to the gap in left center. Mercado had other ideas.
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Sweeping both ends of the doubleheader was also important for Mercado and the Indians, particularly versus a White Sox group that played them difficult last season and loaded its roster with veterans in the offseason.
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With 2 out in the eighth, Chicagos Jose Abreu doubled and came around to score on a base hit to left by Nicky Delmonico against Indians reliever Dominic Leone. Collins stepped in, looking to cut the Cleveland lead further as he drove the first pitch he saw to the gap in left.” I felt like I got a good bead on it,” Mercado stated.
” I think those guys may be getting worn out of me,” Mercado stated later, comparing the two catches. Indians manager Terry Francona called the grab important in his postgame remarks.
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