OAKLAND -- Bennett Lloyd was hopeful for some sort of redemption after coming away empty-handed after his crazy fall on a missed attempt at catching a home run ball hit by Matt Olson during Monday’s Home Run Derby. A few days later, the A’s slugger delivered.
Lloyd, who went viral for his head-over-heels flip over a railing pursuing an Olson blast in the upper deck of Coors Field, was the recipient of a signed bat and ball for his troubles. Through the help of Twitter, the first baseman sent out a post asking for help in locating the fan who took a hard fall. Minutes later, the two connected.
“I saw him take that tumble, so it was pretty cool to do that,” Olson said. “My agency was helping me with social media stuff throughout that whole stuff, so they got in contact with him.”
Olson’s Derby moment was one of a few special memories he took away from his first All-Star experience. There was also the actual All-Star Game, as upon entering the contest to begin the bottom of the fifth he was greeted by a familiar face at second base in former A’s teammate Marcus Semien, now a member of the Blue Jays.
The two played the entirety of the half-inning together, connecting on two putouts with plenty of catching up with each other going on in between.
“We were chatting it up pretty good,” Olson said. “I always like to have fun with Marcus. It was cool having him there and playing that inning. His two boys brought me out a towel and Gatorade during the Derby. It was really cool.”
Remaining in the game until the end, Olson was involved in the final out as he was on the receiving end of a 4-3 putout to cap the American League's eighth straight Midsummer Classic victory. Though he had a chance to keep the ball, Olson decided to flip it over to another familiar face on the mound in White Sox closer -- and Olson's former A’s teammate -- Liam Hendriks.
“I threw it to Liam. I figured he would want it,” Olson said. “It was just an honor to be selected for that kind of stuff. I had a lot of fun with it. I was able to be there with my family, minus my brother. He couldn’t make it because he lives in London. But it was just a good experience to have everybody there and be around.”