The World Cup final between Spain and Argentina was being played around the same time as the Orioles’ game Sunday against the Houston Astros, and Baltimore starting pitcher Brandon Young made it look like he was playing soccer on the mound.
While facing the first batter of game, the Astros’ Jose Altuve, Young softly redirected a groundball back toward him off his foot and in the air to himself, then easily threw Altuve out at first.
It was so casual, it looked like a kickaround in the park, or hacky sack at school.
“A couple buddies sent [the clip] to me. It looked pretty cool,” Young said afterward in the visiting clubhouse in Houston, where the World Cup final played on a television.
“It was nonchalant, but it kind of just happened,” Young added. “[It was] instinct just to kick it up, and I looked it was literally right in front of my face. Good way to start off the game.”
"That was fun to watch," Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said.
The Orioles won the game 5-2 to extend their win streak to seven.
Young went into the seventh inning, posting another strong start at Daikin Park, the site of his near perfect game and one-hitter last August as a rookie against Houston.
Young officially went seven innings, and allowed only one earned run on five hits, with seven strikeouts and one walk. The second-year pro threw 95 pitches and picked up his eighth win of the year.
"B.Y. was outstanding today," Albernaz said. "Real efficient, attacking the strike zone, and had all his pitches working."
And his foot, too.
“I was trying to stop it,” Young said. “Luckily it one-hopped into my foot perfectly.”