This is the stuff of childhood sports dreams.
Brothers Bo Naylor and Josh Naylor didn’t just make it to the major leagues. They also play on the same team. Bo is a rookie catcher for the Cleveland Guardians, and Josh is a fifth-year first baseman.
On Friday, they both hit home runs – in the same inning. Bowe started Friday’s scoring against the Rangers with a two-run blast off Texans’ John Gray in the top of the third inning.
The 435-foot blast into the right-handed stands was the second home run of his MLB career.
Four hits later, Bo doubled Cleveland’s advantage with a shot from his group. This, also of the color grey, is placed in the stands inside the right field upright.
Unfortunately for the Guardians, that was the end of their scoring, and the Rangers went on to win 12-4. But the loss didn’t dampen the moment for the Naylors, who became the first pair of brothers to hit a home run in the same inning since 2013. Bo spoke with reporters about what it meant to him after the game.
“It’s very special,” He said. “I think it was something we’ve talked about, joked about in the past. Seeing it come true is a very daunting thing to think about.
“When he hit me, I had an amazing moment with him, you could see how excited he was for me. And when he hit him, I was on the top step, waiting for him. It was just an amazing moment to share with him.”
The moment marked the ninth time since 1900 that the Friars had hit home runs in the same inning. The last time it happened, Justin and BJ Upton did it with the Atlanta Braves in 2013. The time leading up to that? Also the Upton Brothers, just weeks ago.
Josh is firmly established in the guards lineup as a cleanup hitter. Bo is a highly prospect who was a first round pick in 2018 and is a starter in his first MLB season. There’s a good chance it may not be 13 years before baseball sees this feat again.
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