After hitting a home run against the Nationals and waving the bat like Gary Sheffield, Braves third baseman Austin Riley went one better than a bat flip.
Gary Sheffield possessed one of baseball’s most recognizable batting stances.
Inadvertently or not, Austin Riley looked to pay respect to it against the Nationals on Wednesday night.
Riley’s two-run homer in the eighth inning extended the Braves’ huge lead. He clutched onto the bat as he began to run the bases, wriggling it in a way that made many think of Sheffield.
Austin Riley’s second home run is marked by a tribute to an MLB legend that will never be forgotten
Riley’s second home run of the night came in the seventh inning, when he hit a 441-foot two-run blast.
Sheffield’s son gave the citation his seal of approval.
A good bat flip is always entertaining, but the Sheffield bat wiggle has now surpassed it as one of the most popular post-home run celebrations.
Right now, Atlanta has a lot to be happy about. The win on Wednesday night gave them a 14-game winning streak. Since June 1, they haven’t lost a game, sweeping four different series along the road.
The road trip continues on Friday in Chicago against the Cubs. A 15th straight victory would tie the franchise record set in 2000 for consecutive victories.
Along with Riley’s outstanding performance, the Braves received another outstanding performance from stand-in second baseman Orlando Arcia.
He smacked a home run in the eighth inning and drove in the game’s first run with an infield single in the second. He hit a home run, drove in a run on a sacrifice fly, and scored a run the night before.
