Throughout the season, Isiah Kiner-Falefa‘s unwavering commitment to aiding the Yankees’ success has been evident, often showcased by his willingness to embrace unanticipated roles in the outfield. However, it was his audacious baserunning that took center stage on Wednesday night, capturing attention and acclaim and adding more drama to the Subway Series.
In the seventh inning of a tightly contested 10-inning game against the Mets at Citi Field, Isiah Kiner-Falefa seized the opportunity to steal home plate. As pitcher Brooks Raley’s throw veered off course and found its way to the backstop, Kiner-Falefa expertly slid across the plate, granting the visiting Yankees a 3-1 lead at that pivotal moment.
The last time a Yankees player successfully stole home plate before Wednesday’s game against the Mets was on August 27, 2016, when Didi Gregorius accomplished the feat against the Baltimore Orioles.
Kiner-Falefa rewrote history
As the Yankees and Mets headed into the seventh inning at Citi Field with the score tied, things took a wild turn when Isiah Kiner-Falefa came to the plate. At that time, Jeff Brigham was the Mets’ pitcher. The second base had Josh Donaldson who was there following a walk. The first base had Anthony Rizzo, who got there with a hit-by-pitch move.
Kiner-Falefa hit a ground ball to the shortstop, Francisco Lindor, who swiftly flipped it to Jeff McNeil, resulting in one out recorded. Despite the slim chances of getting Kiner-Falefa out, McNeil made an attempt to do so.
Vientos made a valiant effort to maintain contact with the base while diving for the ball, but McNeil’s throw to first base was off-target and went wide. As the ball grazed Vientos’ glove, it veered towards the Mets’ dugout, allowing Donaldson to capitalize on the error and cross home plate, giving the Yankees the lead. However, that was just the beginning of a series of errors.
With Billy McKinney at the plate, Isiah Kiner-Falefa made his move to second base. The throw from Francisco Alvarez took a hop and ended up in the center field, giving Isiah Kiner-Falefa the opportunity to advance to third base. Kiner-Falefa didn’t settle for third base, though.
He positioned himself with a sizable lead off the base, taking advantage of the left-handed pitcher Brooks Raley and the considerable distance between Mets third baseman Eduardo Escobar and the bag. When Kiner-Falefa had covered approximately half the distance between third base and home plate, he made a daring decision to sprint toward home.
Raley released a pitch that sailed high and evaded the catcher, resulting in a wild pitch. Seizing the opportunity, Kiner-Falefa executed a successful steal of home, giving the Yankees a 3-1 advantage.
The daringly but perfectly executed act was a first for the Yankees since 2016. That year Didi Gregorius made a similar successful bold move achieving the feat against the Orioles, making Kiner-Falefa’s steal of home a notable and rare occurrence for the team.
The Mets’ defensive breakdown continued as Kiner-Falefa took advantage of the situation with his incredible speed. Escobar, the third baseman, recognized the situation late, allowing the Yankees player to gain a significant lead off third base. Raley, the pitcher, struggled to react quickly and deliver an accurate pitch to the plate. Raley later revealed that he didn’t receive any warnings about Kiner-Falefa’s intent, which is typically the responsibility of the infielders.
The end result was the Yankees taking a 3-1 lead that remained until the seventh.
Kiner-Falefa himself surprised at his daring act
“I just couldn’t believe I did that in the big leagues, especially in this game,” the Yankees player told. “I wish the result would have been different. That was kind of a cool moment for myself, but at the end of the day, it’s a tough loss. We have to go to Boston and pick it up, and start playing better baseball.”
Since his earliest memories, Isiah Kiner-Falefa has always fantasized about the thrill of dashing from third base and sliding triumphantly into home plate. Little did he know that the chance to fulfill this childhood dream would come during the Subway Series.
“I got halfway, and [Raley] didn’t acknowledge me,” Kiner-Falefa said. “The third baseman [Escobar] didn’t acknowledge me. I timed it up right before he made a move. I had already committed, and the timing just worked out perfectly.”
Manager Aaron Boone commended IKF, “Just a gutsy play, a great play by him.”
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