It’s difficult to think of a more superstitious collection of athletes than professional baseball players. For a game with so much failure, players will take luck wherever they can find it. But sometimes, those superstitions pay off in a big way. Just ask Atlanta Braves outfielder Eddie Rosario.
The Braves took a 2-0 lead in the National League Championship Series against the Dodgers on Sunday night when Rosario ripped a walk-off, line-drive single that Corey Seager couldn’t handle beyond second base. It was Rosario’s fourth hit of the game, and it turned out that there was quite the story behind the bat he chose for the pivotal at-bat.
As Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen was getting warmed up to enter the game, Rosario returned to the clubhouse to retrieve the bat from his Sept. 19 cycle that he had saved as a trophy.
That is incredible. Thanks for sharing this!
"I went inside [the clubhouse] and I had the bat from the cycle saved to keep as a trophy. That bat does not fail."
No, Eddie, that bat does not fail.
I love baseball. https://t.co/twwvF90Sht
— Grant McAuley (@grantmcauley) October 18, 2021
When Rosario returned with the bat, he only needed to see one pitch to end the game.
ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER #WALKOFF!!! pic.twitter.com/Jrn82L91Dk
— MLB (@MLB) October 18, 2021
The bat really must be special. And as you can see, it actually was the same bat from that Sept. 19 game.
Here it is: #Braves Eddie Rosario using his bat from the cycle (right) to get the game-winning hit against the Dodgers in Game 2 of the NLCS (left).
So, the last five times he's swung this bat, Rosario has hit for the cycle and delivered a game-winning hit in a #Postseason game. pic.twitter.com/4rZbaeJ0FC
— Grant McAuley (@grantmcauley) October 18, 2021
We’ll have to see if Rosario brings that bat with him to Los Angeles. After all, you never know — its power may be needed again.
