“Right before I went up to hit there, I looked into the dugout,” new Washington Nationals’ catcher Riley Adams told reporters after hitting a go-ahead, two-run home run 412 feet to left field in Truist Park (at a 41° launch angle).
“I saw Davey [Martinez], and he gave me a look of confidence,” Adams said, “... that he believed in me and he trusted me in that moment, and I was just happy I was able to do something good there.”
Adams, acquired at the trade deadline from the Toronto Blue Jays in return for Brad Hand, hit a 94 MPH first-pitch fastball from Braves’ closer Will Smith for his first homer in the big leagues in his 15th game after debuting back on June 8th with the Jays.