Walker swats 1st HR (on the next pitch!) after challenge overturns strike 3
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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The ABS challenge paid off for Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker in the third inning of Sunday afternoon’s 3-2 win over the Astros at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches.
Walker, who led off the frame, appeared to be called out on strikes against Houston right-hander Christian Javier. But Walker challenged the call by home-plate umpire James Jean. The scoreboard indicated that Walker was right. The ball was on the outside part of the strike zone and he was given another chance in the batter’s box.
On the next pitch, Walker hit a 3-2 fastball over the center-field fence to tie the score at 1. It was Walker’s first home run of the Grapefruit League season.
“It was a big swing for him. You go from a punchout to a homer,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. “I’m glad it worked out the way it did. It was a really good swing.”
For the game, Walker went 2-for-3 and is now 3-for-7 with one walk in his last two games.
“His last couple of games have looked better with what he is trying to do -- results or not -- just executing on that,” Marmol said. “Today was a very good day for him. ... My hope is he can build off of it from a confidence standpoint. So he is starting to feel it a little bit. That’s a good thing.”
Walker has been in a slump for most of the spring. He has been working in the Cardinals’ hitting lab, which is located in the back fields at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Walker was going through swing changes in order to see the ball better out of the pitcher’s hand. Since Friday, however, Walker decided to do something different.
“For me, it’s mental. ... What’s best is to just hit the ball,” Walker said recently. “Today, I told myself, ‘Whatever happens, go swing at the ball,' and it happened to be my best day. Today, I saw the ball [better] than my other at-bats, because I think it’s best just to shut my brain off and just react to whatever is thrown at me. Today was a reaction day and I liked where I was.”