Aquino HR #7 – Farthest Hit

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Aristides Aquino’s Timeline of Punishment

1. First Major League Homer
2. Obliteration
3. Hardest Hit
4. The (First) One Off Yu Darvish
5. Start of a Huge Day
6. Kyle Hendricks Tried Another Sinker
7. Farthest Hit
8. “A Loud Sound”
9. Out of the Strike Zone
10. Adam Wainwright Turned to Look Way Up
11. “You Can’t Stop This Kid!”

[The seventh post in a series looking at Aristides Aquino’s home run streak. Yes, we understand this goes on as long as Aquino keeps hitting record-setting home runs and that might be a while. We’re prepared (and hopeful) for this to last through the end of the season.]

Home Run #7

Aquino had already homered in this game twice, in the 2nd and 3rd innings off of Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks. As he came to the plate in the 4th inning he faced a new pitcher, reliever Dillon Maples. Maples (27) is hard-throwing right-handed pitcher who has bounced between AAA and the majors. On this day, he was on mop up duty, entering the game with the score 7-0 in favor of the Reds.

Maples throws a 97-mph fastball about a third of the time. But his main pitch is a wipeout slider, thrown at 89.7 mph average (that’s in the top 15 of all pitchers). He has a huge strikeout rate but has also struggled getting the ball over the plate. Control would not be his main concern with Aristides Aquino.

When Maples 97.6 mph fastball met Aquino’s bat it produced the longest of all of The Punisher’s home runs.

Here is the graphic display.

[Graphic: Baseball Savant]

The Pitch

Maples started Aquino off with an 89-mph slider for Ball One. On the next pitch, Aquino was expecting Maples would come back with a fastball and swung at another slider that broke way off the plate and down. Maples followed with another 89-mph slider that Aquino took in the bottom of the zone for a called strike. With the count 1-2, Maples stayed with his slider, threw it for a strike and Aquino fouled it off. Here’s the video of the 1-2 foul ball (click on the picture).

Maples had thrown his slider four straight pitches. Aquino was used to it now and was right on #4, fouling it behind him. Maples knew he couldn’t throw another slider for a strike or Aquino would hammer it. He made the fateful — and predictable — decision to throw his fastball. It was 96.7 mph with an enormous spin rate of 2992 rpm and ended up in the lower part of the strike zone, right in the middle. Aquino’s killing zone.

The Hit

Aquino was 100% expecting fastball from Maples and had it timed. The pitch left Maples’ hand at 98 mph and left Aquino’s bat at 107.4 mph. Bases were empty. With the score 8-0, this was pure theater. The ball traveled 452 feet. Even Maples turned to admire. (click on the picture to see the video)

The ball landed in a part of GABP’s left-center area that isn’t used to experiencing home runs. Judging from where the fans were pointing, the ball landed in the area above the Angry Orchard PATIO sign. It had traveled 452 feet, the longest of Aquino’s home runs. To date.

This was the homer that inspired the famous reaction shot of his teammates in the Reds dugout. Aquino had hit three in one game.

The History

Aquino’s blast into that unfamiliar landing spot of  GABP was just the second time in major league history that a player had hit 7 home runs in his first 10 games.

The Game

RC+ Preview | RC+ Recap

With the score already 8-0, Aquino’s third homer of the day produced just .005 WPA (win probability added). The Reds were cruising to a 10-1 rout of the Cubs, setting up a fateful game on Sunday.