PITTSBURGH -- Gavin Deblois and his friends Nate and Gage moved down to the front row beyond the right-field wall at PNC Park in the middle innings of Thursday’s Brewers-Pirates game because they thought it gave them the best chance of getting on television.
It was the right move. They got plenty of TV time.
Gavin, a Brewers fan visiting from Windsor, Ont., made the highlight reel with his attempted catch of Bo Naylor’s first Milwaukee home run, a solo shot in the eighth inning that briefly brought the Brewers back within a run during the 7-4 loss. Gavin tried to catch the baseball in his Brewers cap, but he dropped it in the process and it fell to the warning track while the umpires converged to review the play.
The kids were happy with the results on multiple fronts. The home run stood, and a few minutes later, a Pirates usher arrived to return Gavin’s cap.
How did a kid from Canada become a Brewers fan? His dad visited Milwaukee several years ago and brought home a cap. Gavin, a third-base player himself, liked the ball-and-glove logo so much that he became a fan.
Naylor was the right player to pull Gavin onto the highlight reel. He hails from Mississauga, Ont., just a few hours away.
As Gavin and his friends told their story, Brewers broadcaster Josh Maurer arrived at their seats. He had a new cap, signed by play-by-play man Brian Anderson and analyst Tim Dillard, who were on the call for Brewers.TV. It was one of the Division Champion caps players wore during the clinch celebration here on Tuesday night.
Perhaps Gavin can say thank you in person next summer. His family is planning a trip to Milwaukee that could include his first game at American Family Field.