On Friday against the San Diego Padres, Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Randall Delgado picked up the first complete-game shutout of his brief career.
He can thank teammate Gerardo Parra for helping him achieve that feat.
Just one day after he was selected as the Diamondbacks’ recipient of the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association’s Heart and Hustle Award, Parra offered up this gem.
Parra, who earned a Gold Glove Award in 2011 for the Diamondbacks, raced back to the wall in the top of the seventh inning to take an extra-base hit away from Padres hitter Will Venable.
Just the look on Delgado’s face after the catch was made was priceless.
It’s certainly not the first time Parra has stunned teammates with his brilliant glovework.
There was the brilliant running and leaping catch he made against A.J. Ellis and the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 8.
Delgado was on the mound that night as well.
Then there was this incredible sliding catch off the bat of Texas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre in late May.
The fans certainly appreciated Parra‘s effort:
No question that teammates are no longer in awe of what Parra can do—he’s proven time and time again that there’s no catch he won’t at least try. And more often than not, he comes away with the ball, sending the hitter back to his dugout, shaking his head in wonderment.
According to FanGraphs, Parra leads the majors with a 14.4 UZR. He’s also fourth in the National League with a 2.0 dWAR as well. And while other players may be restricted to just one position, Parra can play anywhere in the outfield.
The Diamondbacks don’t care where he plays, as long as he continues making fabulous stops like the one that saved Randall Delgado’s first-ever shutout on Friday.
Doug Mead is a featured columnist with Bleacher Report. His work has been featured in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, SF Gate, CBS Sports, the Los Angeles Times and the Houston Chronicle.
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