New York Mets reliever Jefry Yan celebrated a strikeout too early Saturday at Citi Field, then recovered to earn his first major league win in New York’s walk-off victory over the Washington Nationals, Fox News reported.
Yan thought he had struck out Nasim Nuñez with an 0-2 pitch in the top of the ninth and performed his viral jump-and-tap celebration midair, according to Fox News. Home plate umpire did not signal strike three, Yan tapped his hat and the play prompted an ABS review. After the review, the call for a ball stood, Fox News said.
SNY play-by-play announcer Gary Cohen called the moment “funny” on the broadcast, according to Fox News. Yan struck out Nuñez two pitches later on a slider, Fox News reported.
Yan finished with three strikeouts and a scoreless 1 2/3 innings and was credited with his first major league win, with a 1.80 ERA to date, according to Fox News.
The Mets trailed by a run entering the bottom of the ninth. Brett Baty walked, Jorge Polanco singled and Francisco Alvarez doubled to tie the game, setting the stage for Francisco Lindor’s single that drove in the winning run, Fox News reported. Yan said through a translator that he “felt really welcome” during his first Citi Field appearance, Fox News added.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
