Adrian Gonzalez had himself a Babe Ruth moment on Friday night at Dodger Stadium when the slugger hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the fifth inning that he dedicated to a Mexican Little League team that he met before the game.
Gonzalez sent a 92 MPH fastball from Reds' rookie John Lamb into the visiting bullpen for his team-leading 23rd home run of the season after a two-out rally gave the Dodgers a commanding 5-1 lead.
As Gonzalez rounded the bases, he pointed towards the stands where the Hermosillo Little League team stood standing and cheering for their baseball hero.
"It was for the Little League team that was here from Mexico," Gonzalez said when asked after the game why he was pointing into the crowd as he rounded the bases.
The Hermosillo Little League team lost to Mexicali 13-6 in the Mexican Little League Championship game on July 18. The loss meant that the kids from Hermosillo's season was over while Mexicali advanced to the 2015 Little League World Series in South Williamsport on Aug. 20.
As a consolation prize, the youth athletes got to travel to Los Angeles where Gonzalez and the team invited them to Dodger stadium.
Gonzalez met with the youngsters before the game, and when they asked him if he would hit a home run for them, Gonzalez upped the ante and told them that if he did he would make sure to point to them as he rounded the bases.
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"They asked me to hit a home run," Gonzalez said. "I can never promise a home run, but I said if I happen to hit one, I'm pointing to you guys."
In a moment, straight out of a movie (or a Seinfeld episode), Gonzalez greeted Lamb with his 14th home run of the season at Dodger Stadium, and third off a lefty. He also made the day of 14 Mexican little leaguers who just weeks early were down in the dumps.
The Dodgers went on to win the game 5-3, maintaining their lead over the San Francisco Giants in the National League West at 2.5 games.
"That rally was the reason we won," Gonzalez continued. "So it was a very important."
VIDEO: @AdrianTitan23's three-run dinger. {http://t.co/XsQ3bNYoq2} pic.twitter.com/XLzlxc0SKs — Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 15, 2015
