Patrick Kivlehan hasn’t even been a Major Leaguer for a full day, but he has already made his presence known in San Diego. With the Padres unable to get anything going offensively, Kivlehan came to the rescue with a long ball to get his team on the board.
Diamondbacks starting pitcher, Robbie Ray, gave up five runs on nine hits (two of which were home runs) and lasted only 4 2/3 innings against the Padres less than three months ago. But he was in the midst of a no-hit bid through 4 1/3 tonight when Kivlehan came to the plate for just his second ever Major League plate appearance. The 26-year-old utility player, who made his big league debut in the outfield, had struck out in his first PA. Two pitches into his second attempt and the count was already 0-2. But this time Ray didn’t get that third strike.
Kivlehan hit the ball out of the park on the third pitch. It was the first hit of the game, and an absolute moonshot.
First Major League hit and home run for Patrick Kivlehan was...
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) August 21, 2016
CRUSHED 451 feet pic.twitter.com/c1XNrLni3C
As pointed out by MLB.com’s Carlos Collazo, Kivlehan’s homer went 464 feet (contrary to the Padres’ tweet above) at a speed of 110 mph off the bat. AJ Cassavell added that it was the “second longest homer by a Padre in the Statcast era” and that Kivlehan joins only four others who have homered in their MLB debuts for San Diego.
Kivlehan is the fifth Padre to homer in his big league debut and the first since Tommy Medica in 2013.
— AJ Cassavell (@AJCassavell) August 21, 2016