CLEVELAND (AP) — The Naylor brothers turned National Siblings Day into quite a family affair.
Josh Naylor and his younger brother and Cleveland teammate, Bo, hit home runs in the same inning on Wednesday night as the Guardians rallied for a 7-6 win in 10 innings over the Chicago White Sox.
Josh Naylor connected for a solo homer with one out in the fourth off Chicago’s Erick Fedde, and Bo smashed a two-run shot to center field two batters later.
It was the second time the Naylors have homered in the same inning, having done it on July 14 last season at Texas.
And if that wasn’t enough, both Naylors delivered RBI hits in the 10th inning — Josh a game-tying double and Bo a game-winning single as the Guardians improved to 9-3, the club’s best start since 2002.
“What a night for them, homer in the same inning and then game-tying and then game-winning hits,” said Guardians first-year manager Stephen Vogt. “I just can’t imagine doing that with your brother. It is so cool.”
Before the Naylors connected last season, the last brothers to homer in the same inning were B.J. and Justin Upton for Atlanta in 2013.
The Naylors are also the 13th pair of brothers to homer in the same game as teammates. They joined a list with the Uptons, Jeremy and Jason Giambi; Wilton and Vladimir Guerrero; Tommie and Henry Aaron; Paul and Lloyd Waner; Edgar and Adrian Gonzalez; Billy and Cal Ripken; Billy and Tony Conigliaro; Adam and Andy LaRoche; Jose and Bengie Molina; Matty and Jesus Alou; and Matty and Felipe Alou.
The Naylors, who grew up in Canada, are a little more than two years apart. Josh is 26, and Bo 24.
They’ve always loved sports and dreamed of not only being teammates but doing great things together.
“There were times where we were kids and our dad had us in the back yard and he would throw us pitches in, we’d get a home run to win it type of thing,” Josh Naylor said. “I think those situations come to life now that we’re in the big leagues. You have to be ready for those moments.
“Playing games as a kid prepared us for those moments. I was on the bench when he (Bo) was up and I just kept saying to myself, I kept mumbling, ‘You’re born for this moment. Be ready. You’re prepared. Let’s do it.’ ”
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