CINCINNATI -- Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton has made all manner of amazing catches during his career. In Friday night's 8-4 loss to the Pirates, Hamilton caught a fly ball despite crashing into the wall and teammate Phillip Ervin.
In the top of the fourth inning with two outs, and Pittsburgh having taken a 3-2 lead on Elias Diaz's homer against Anthony DeSclafani two batters earlier, Kevin Kramer launched his own deep drive to right-center field.
Both Hamilton and Ervin converged on the ball, and both went airborne to attempt the catch. They made contact, but Hamilton somehow secured the ball in his glove for the third out and held on as he hit the warning track on his back.
"It's easier when your mind is focused on the ball and not worried about getting hit," Hamilton said. "I guess guys get hurt more or miss the ball when they feel it about to happen. For me, I was focused on the ball."
Hamilton laid on the ground for an extra moment before Ervin helped him back to his feet. Neither player was injured on the play.
"It wasn't as bad as it looked," Hamilton said. "We hit each other, but it wasn't anything bad."
For a certain generation, the play looked similar to one made indelible during the closing credits of This Week in Baseball in the 1980s. During a Sept. 21, 1982, game vs. the Royals, California Angels left fielder Brian Downing and center fielder Fred Lynn crossed paths at the fence before Lynn somehow made a great catch.