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Mike Trout makes awesome game-saving catch in 9th inning (Video)

April 24, 2013 By 2 Comments

Mike-Trout-diving-catchMike Trout has only been in the majors for less than two full seasons, but he has already made more amazing catches than most players will make throughout their entire careers. On Tuesday night, he was at it again as he saved the game for the Los Angeles Angels in the 9th inning against the Texas Rangers.

With the score tied 4-4 and a runner on third in the top of the 9th, Adrian Beltre ripped a line-drive down the left field line that appeared certain to get down for extra bases. Instead, Trout made an outstanding catch and preserved the tie. The Angels went on to win 5-4 in the 11th inning, and Beltre joked after the game that LA had an unfair advantage.

“I couldn’t believe it when I saw it,” he said, via Jeff Wilson of the Forth Worth Star-Telegram. “It’s not fair to have 3 center fielders playing the outfield.”

Trout, who is one of the best defensive outfielders in baseball, was playing left field. Peter Bourjos — also a tremendous outfielder — started the game in center.  Josh Hamilton was in right. If Beltre thinks he was robbed, he should ask some of his fellow players how they felt after Trout did this to them. Or this. Or this.

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Ben Revere pays tribute to Boston bombing with glove, makes incredible catch (Video)

April 16, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Ben-Revere-catchPhiladelphia Phillies outfielder Ben Revere had a very memorable night on Monday. For starters, he made one of the most spectacular catches we will see all season in the second inning of a loss to the Cincinnati Reds. As you can see from the video above, Revere went full extension on a line drive to center field to rob extra bases and double off a runner at first base. It was an incredible play, as the 24-year-old’s body was completely horizontal to the ground.

In addition to the catch, Revere also made a heartwarming gesture by paying tribute to the Boston Marathon bombing with a message on his glove. As I’m sure you have heard, tragic explosions left at least three people dead and more than 100 injured near the finish line of the Boston Marathon finish line on Monday. Revere placed a pace of tape across the side of his glove with the words “pray for Boston” written across it.

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Alex Gordon climbs wall to nearly rob home run (Video)

April 3, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Alex Gordon nearly had the catch of the year after climbing the wall in an attempt to rob Dayan Viciedo of a home run Wednesday.

Viciedo was up with a runner on first, two outs, and his Chicago White Sox up 2-1 in the fourth when he belted a tailing fastball to left. Gordon was already playing deep and decided to climb the wall. He hopped on the top of the padding and reached a few feet over the fence to nearly rob the homer. He was so close to making the catch that even White Sox TV announcer Hawk Harrelson was fooled.

Unfortunately for Kansas City, the ball went off the edge of Gordon’s glove to give Viciedo the dinger. The White Sox won the game 5-2 over the Royals.

Check out how close Gordon was to making the catch:

Alex Gordon wall

Last season Josh Reddick climbed a fence to make a catch. That one was great. But nothing, and I mean nothing, will ever come close to matching this catch from the Japanese League.

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Blake Griffin almost throws in amazing game-winner, basket doesn’t count (Video)

March 27, 2013 By 1 Comment

Blake-Griffin-amazing-shot-did-not-countThe Los Angeles Clippers lost an overtime thriller to the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night, but they were a mere shove away from winning the game in miraculous fashion. After OJ Mayo tied the score with 0.6 seconds remaining, Blake Griffin nearly pulled off the highlight of the season. However, he was called for an offensive foul and the shot didn’t count.

As you can see, Griffin caught a full-court pass and somehow flipped it off the glass and in with 0.4 seconds remaining on the game clock. The official who had been watching him fight for position with Dirk Nowitzki ruled that he pushed off, resulting in the basket not counting. The Mavericks went on to win 109-102 in overtime.

Where was this referee when the Packers needed him during one of the most infamous plays in NFL history? As a certain group of replacement officials could tell you, it takes guts to call something like that. In all fairness, it sounded like the official blew his whistle before the shot went in, so you can’t argue that he was reacting to the result. Still, it’s unfortunate that the call resulted in such an amazing play being washed away.

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Michigan HS team recreates Duke’s Christian Laettner play, and it works (Video)

March 13, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Hudsonville-Christian-Laettner-playWhen Hudsonville High School (Mich.) found itself trailing by two points with only 1.5 seconds left on Monday night, it looked as if their hopes for advancing to the Regional Title game had all but disappeared. They had just about enough time left on the clock for a catch-and-shoot, but considering they were inbounding the ball from their own baseline the task seemed impossible.

Unless, of course, the Eagles could replicate one of the most famous sports plays in history. As you can see from the video above, Hudsonville was able to do exactly that and force overtime (score in the video is wrong) against the Forest Hills Northern Huskies. They pulled off Duke’s legendary Christian Laettner play to perfection. Brent Hibbits launched the ball 75 feet to Cody Stuive, who turned around and nailed the jumper.

“I just freaked out,” Stuive told FOX 17 in Michigan. “I just ran to the bench and was giving people hugs. Then I realized that now we have to win in overtime.”

It wasn’t all luck, either. Hudsonville head coach Eric Elliot called a timeout just before the play to make sure his players were on the same page as him.

“At that point you’re thinking with one-and-a-half seconds it doesn’t sound like a lot of time,” said Elliott. “In basketball-talk, you catch and you got one dribble. So it was just how do we get it into our guy’s hands within the three-point line so we can get a clean shot up.”

If we’ve learned anything from shots like this, this and the one that Hudsonville pulled off, it’s that some of the best buzzer-beaters come at the high school level. Perhaps the most amazing part about the feat was that the Eagles were able to refocus and win the game in overtime. Hudsonville will take on Muskedon for the Regional Title on Wednesday night.

H/T The Big Lead

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Improbable buzzer-beater comes from New Rochelle’s Khalil Edney (Video)

March 3, 2013 By Leave a Comment

New Rochelle’s Khalil Edney pulled off what will likely go down as the most improbable buzzer-beater ever.

New Rochelle (NY) High School was playing in the Section 1 Class AA championship game against Mount Vernon (NY) at the County Center in White Plains Sunday. Mount Vernon was up 60-58 with 2.9 seconds and thought they had the game all wrapped up after they stole an inbounds pass that went to half court. The only problem is the player who intercepted the pass celebrated prematurely. He threw the ball up thinking the game was over, but it landed in Edney’s hands with less than a second left. Edney quickly launched the ball over half the length of the court, and it went in.

Referees reviewed the play and determined that Edney, a senior forward, released the ball with 0.1 seconds remaining on the clock, meaning the basket counted.

“It’s a great feeling. To win sections in both sports … it’s unheard of,” Edney, who also quarterback the school’s football team, told LoHud.com’s Josh Thomson. “It can’t get any better than this.”

Edney was living it up after the game. He was retweeting almost everything sent about him, and he sent this message:

I guess there’s something about players with the last name Edney and last-second magic in basketball games.

Here’s another look that shows the ball out of Edney’s fingers with 0.1 seconds left:

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NC State OF Brett Williams makes an incredible somersault catch (Video)

February 28, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Brett-Williams-amazing-catchNC State outfielder Brett Williams led the Wolfpack to a 9-2 victory over New Mexico State on Wednesday with a 2-for-3 showing from the plate. He drove in three of NC State’s nine runs, but it is the play Williams made in center field that you will be seeing on “SportsCenter” for months to come.

There are diving catches, and then there are diving catches that involve a somersault mid-air. As you can see, Williams pulled off the latter to rob extra bases.

According to the NC State athletics website, Williams is only six games into his return from ACL surgery and is batting .458 with three homers. I think it’s safe to say his recovery is going well. The catch Williams made is right up there with this catch as one of the greatest we’ve ever seen.

H/T Big League Stew

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