Heineman connected for first MLB homer, and then a Yankee Stadium adventure began
The joy that comes with hitting a first big-league homer was evident on Scott Heineman’s face as he circled the bases at Yankee Stadium and headed into the Texas Rangers’ dugout.
There was so much more than just the home run.
His older brother, Tyler, was on the verge of his MLB debut with the Miami Marlins.
Heineman’s parents, in Pittsburgh watching Tyler, are both from New York.
His sister and aunt and cousins were in the stands in the Bronx, unsure if Scott would even play.
But Shin-Soo Choo had played enough in the blowout, and Heineman entered in the seventh inning. He made the most of his chance, connecting with one out in the ninth inning for the Rangers’ only run in 10-1 loss to the New York Yankees.
“It was pretty special,” Heineman said. “And for it to be on the day that my brother got called up to the Miami Marlins is pretty cool.”
That came after Heineman learned the ball he hit was safe and secure and on its way to his locker.
It certainly didn’t appeared that would happened.
The fans in right field, known as the Bleacher Creatures, started chanting for the fan who had the ball to throw it back. A ball came out of the mass of people and into the right field, where a ball boy went to retrieve it.
On the way back to his post, he tossed it to a young fan.
The Rangers’ dugout started to panic. The Yankee Stadium PA announcer even made note that it was Heineman’s first career homer and that he’d really like the ball.
The boy along the right-field ball seemed willing. Security found him and started the process of retrieving it.
One problem: The ball the boy held was a fake.
A decoy!
“The right people went over to see that it was a decoy,” Heineman said. “It’s pretty cool they were like, ‘Nah, we ain’t takin’ that one.’”
The real home-run ball was safely in the possession of 15-year-old Ryan Kindler from New Jersey. He and his father, Eric, were glad to make the exchange with Heineman, which they did around 20 minutes after the final out.
Heineman gave Ryan, who was struck on the forearm by the homer, an autographed ball with the inscription, “Thanks for catching my first HR!” Ryan and Eric each received a bat from Heineman.
The whole sequence, from the homer to the decoy to the reunion, made for the lone highlight of an otherwise rough day for the Rangers.
“Just excitement and happiness. Obviously, something you dream of,” said Heineman, the Rangers’ Minor League Player of the Year in 2018. “For it to happen here, it’s just funny how the world works. Both my parents are from New York, so I’ve got family here. It was just very cool.”
This story was originally published September 3, 2019 at 9:13 PM.
