ST. PETERSBURG -- The legend of Kevin Kiermaier continues.
Two nights after a rare defensive hiccup against Detroit, in which he misplayed a seemingly routine line drive to center field that allowed the Tigers to score three runs late, the Rays' two-time American League Gold Glove Award-winner made up for it in a big way in Friday night's 6-3 loss against the Astros at Tropicana Field.
On what looked to be a sure extra-base hit for Houston catcher Brian McCann off the right-center-field wall with one out in the second inning, Kiermaier lept with his back to the padding and stretched his glove high to the top railing to rob McCann.
Per Statcast™, McCann had a 65 percent chance to record a hit on the play. Kiermaier, however, had other plans.
The highlight-reel snag sent the crowd into a frenzy as Tampa Bay starter Alex Cobb saluted Kiermaier's effort by turning in awe while hoisting both arms into the air. Right fielder Steven Souza Jr. joined in too, jogging over to say a few words to Kiermaier before exchanging a glove tap and a friendly hand gesture.
"It allowed me to take a deep breath and just go out there and know that when they do put the ball in play, I can be OK," Cobb said.
"It doesn't make you try to be as fine. It makes you relax a little bit, and attack hitters more, which ultimately, will allow you to go deeper into games whenever you let your defense work for you."
Kiermaier departed after the fifth because of a pregame illness that carried over to game time, and was replaced by Peter Bourjos.
"He came in saying that he wasn't feeling well and he tried to kind of go through it and realized that, I'm not sure even by game time, he was just not feeling well at all," manager Kevin Cash said. "And then it kind of gradually got worse."
"When they're doing plays like that, it's easy to fill up the [strike] zone," Cobb said.
Kiermaier has become known for his prowess in the outfield since breaking into the Majors with the Rays in 2013. He signed a six-year, $53.6 million extension with the team during Spring Training, a deal that will keep him in Tampa Bay through at least 2022.
It was money well earned for Kiermaier on Friday.
Jeff Odom