Eugenio Suárez hit a milestone home run during the eighth inning of the Reds’ 4-0 win over the Braves at Truist Park on Tuesday night. But it will be remembered not only for being the 350th homer of the slugging third baseman’s career, but also for what happened to the ball after it landed in the stands.
When the baseball sailed over the left-field wall, it ended up in the hands of a little girl celebrating her sixth birthday at the ballpark. As fans around her were celebrating her receipt of the souvenir on her big day, she did something no one expected -- but is actually pretty understandable if you think about it:
She threw the ball back onto the field of play.
While the souvenir was lost, the memory was forged and will never be forgotten. When Braves TV sideline reporter Wiley Ballard found the birthday girl and asked her why she threw the ball back, she had an answer that was incredibly relatable for any 6-year-old out there.
“I don’t know,” she said. “I just wanted to throw it.”