Advertisement

Athletics' Ramon Laureano throws Xander Bogaerts out at home with 96-mph cannon

By Alex Butler
Oakland Athletics center fielder Ramon Laureano leads the American League with 21 putouts so for this season. He led American League center fielders with nine assists in 2018. File Photo by Trask Smith/UPI
Oakland Athletics center fielder Ramon Laureano leads the American League with 21 putouts so for this season. He led American League center fielders with nine assists in 2018. File Photo by Trask Smith/UPI | License Photo

April 2 (UPI) -- Oakland Athletics outfielder Ramon Laureano showed of his arm strength by throwing out Xander Bogaerts at home plate in a win against the Boston Red Sox.

His 270 foot heave traveled 96 mph to prevent Bogaerts from scoring in the second inning of the 7-0 win Monday at Oakland Coliseum.

Advertisement

The A's and Red Sox were scoreless through one inning when Bogaerts doubled as the second batter of the second frame. Mitch Moreland stepped to the plate next. The Red Sox first baseman sent an Aaron Brooks changeup on a line drive to center field.

Laureano came running in to field the ball, gloving it after a second bounce. He used his forward momentum to rocket a right-handed throw back toward the diamond. Laureano got the ball to the plate without a single bounce.

The heave landed in the glove of A's catcher Nick Hundley, who tagged Bogaerts on the left hip before he could touch the plate. Boston challenged the call, but the ruling was upheld.

Advertisement

"Ramon, he's a special talent. I've seen him make multiple plays like that," Red Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. told reporters, according to MLB.com. "I'm not surprised. Did you see the play before that when he slid and almost threw [Bogaerts] out at second? This is my first time actually getting to see him live, but he really knows what he's doing. He got to the ball really quick, got a hold of it and the way the conditions were, he did everything the right way."

Brooks escaped the inning without a blemish when Eduardo Nunez grounded into a force out to end the frame in the next at-bat. The A's starter picked up his first win of the season, allowing just two hits and tossing six strikeouts in six scoreless innings.

Laureano also hit a solo home run in the victory and went 1-for-4 with three strikeouts, an RBI and a run scored for the A's. He is hitting .167 this season.

The A's and Red Sox resume the series at 10:07 p.m. Tuesday in Oakland.

Latest Headlines