David Ross had himself an inning he’ll never forget Sunday.
The former Gator and current Chicago Cubs backup catcher took the mound down 11-4 and threw a perfect ninth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies — inducing a fly out and two ground outs.
But Ross wasn’t done there.
The 38-year-old crushed his first home run of the year to lead off the bottom half of the inning, sending Cubs fans at Wrigley Field into a frenzy. Though Ross’ efforts came in an 11-5 loss, it was a high note for the veteran’s down season.
In his 14th big league season with his seventh different team, Ross is hitting just .185 in 92 at-bats. But on the bright side, the perfect inning was the second of his career — the other coming May 9 against the Milwaukee Brewers. Ross’ catching career may be winding down, but maybe there’s a future for him on the mound.
Preston Tucker’s bat has been scorching as July comes to a close. Last Wednesday, Tucker blasted two home runs in a Houston Astros 4-2 win over the Boston Red Sox.
In his last six games, the 25-year-old outfielder has hit .346 with four dingers and six RBIs, boosting his season average to .262.
Tucker’s nine home runs this season is second among American League rookies. His sweet lefty swing has helped propel the Astros to go 5-2 over their last seven games, as they currently own the top wild card spot in the American League.
Just a day before Tucker’s two bombs, another former Gator made his MLB debut in the same series.
Left-handed pitcher Brian Johnson tossed 4.1 innings for the Red Sox in his first start, allowing four earned runs on three hits and four walks against the Astros on July 21. Johnson, 24, took the loss and was subsequently sent back down to the AAA-level Pawtucket Red Sox.
Though Johnson and Tucker didn’t face each other in the game, Johnson’s 2.73 ERA in 16 starts with Pawtucket this season suggests he’ll be back in Boston again.
Since hitting the game-winning pinch-hit home run in the eighth inning of a Nationals’ 5-3 victory over the Dodgers on July 17, Matt den Dekker’s bat has gone silent. The 27-year-old outfielder has spiraled in a 3-for-24 skid in nine games since, and his season average now sits at a lackluster .184.
Despite being known as more of a defensive player patrolling the outfield, den Dekker will need to rack up more hits if he wants to maintain his steady playing time of late, as he has just six base hits through 34 at-bats in 14 games this month.
While Mike Zunino’s 2015 campaign with the Seattle Mariners has been atrocious, the 24-year-old backstop is showing steady signs of life lately.
Zunino is riding a six-game hit streak in which he’s gone 9-for-20 (.450) with four RBI. Though he’s still hitting .215 in July and just .179 on the season, it’s an encouraging sign for Seattle and Zunino.
After destroying pitching in the New York-Penn League by hitting .379 with two home runs and four RBI in seven games, Harrison Bader was quickly promoted to the Peoria Chiefs, the St. Louis Cardinals’ A-level minor league team.
Bader, 21, hasn’t hit for much power with the Chiefs — 0 home runs in 67 at-bats — but he’s hitting a respectable .269 with seven stolen bases in 17 games since July 7.
Richie Martin, Oakland’s first-round pick in 2015, got off to a hot start with the Athletics’ class-A short season Vermont Lake Monsters but has since cooled off.
His season batting average dipped from above .300 to .253, as he’s in the middle of a 4-for-30 skid in his first 21 games as a pro.
Follow Patrick Pinak on Twitter @Pinakk12.
Florida right fielder Preston Tucker collides with the fence as he chases a ball hit for a triple by Kent State's David Lyon in the sixth inning of an NCAA College World Series elimination baseball game in Omaha, Neb., Monday, June 18, 2012.
