Pirates' Josh Bell homers into Allegheny River again
For the second time in two weeks, Pittsburgh Pirates slugger Josh Bell launched a baseball into the Allegheny River on the fly Wednesday night at PNC Park in the Pirates’ 9-3 loss.
Bell sent a pitch from the Colorado Rockies’ Jon Gray over the right-field bleachers, 454 feet from home plate, according to Statcast. It left his bat at 116.1 mph.
Big drip, what you call it? ? pic.twitter.com/a3f6x4zbEa
— Pirates (@Pirates) May 23, 2019
It was only the fifth home run to reach the Allegheny on the fly (51st, including those that bounced) since PNC Park opened in 2001.
One powerful swing.
✅ only the FIFTH baseball to reach the river on the fly
✅ the SECOND time THIS YEAR for @JBell_19 #RingIt | #LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/YmC5DIrLsk— Pirates (@Pirates) May 22, 2019
He hit one directly into the river May 8 against the Texas Rangers, a 472 shot that was clocked at 114.9 mph.
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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