Josh Bell's home run only 4th to reach Allegheny River on the fly
Josh Bell’s mammoth home run in the fourth inning Wednesday not only tied the Pittsburgh Pirates’ game with the Texas Rangers at 2-2, but it sent team officals leafing through the PNC Park record book.
ALLEGHENY RIVER BLAST!!!!@JBell_19 just put one in the drink! ?#RingIt pic.twitter.com/u5yeRmv2HK
— Pirates (@Pirates) May 8, 2019
The home run against Rangers starter Shelby Miller was only the fourth in PNC Park history to reach the Allegheny River on the fly — third by a Pirates player — and 50th overall. It was third time a Bell shot landed in the water; the previous two bounced.
✔️ Only the 4th HR to hit the river on a fly in PNC Park history
✔️ 5th longest HR in PNC Park history pic.twitter.com/aTy7o3uU9D— Pirates (@Pirates) May 8, 2019
The baseball left the bat at 114.9 mph and traveled 472 feet, according to baseballsavant.com. It was the fifth longest in PNC Park history. He now owns two of the five longest home runs there, having hit one to centerfield that traveled 474 feet April 7.
4️⃣7️⃣2️⃣ feet into the river. ? #Crushed pic.twitter.com/QlkTwYKXvm
— MLB (@MLB) May 8, 2019
Jerry DiPaola is a TribLive reporter covering Pitt athletics since 2011. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in 1993, first as a copy editor and page designer in the sports department and later as the Pittsburgh Steelers reporter from 1994-2004. He can be reached at jdipaola@triblive.com.
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