Adam Kilgore describes Drew Storen’s first professional hit in his first professional at bat:

And so Storen walked to the plate for his first professional at-bat wearing the bat boy’s helmet. Against Millwood, Storen batted left-handed. He fell behind 0-2, the second strike on a hellacious uppercut hack. (“I was getting my money’s worth on that cut,” Storen said. “I missed that second pitch by about two or three feet.”)

On the next pitch, Storen decided he would shorten his swing. He flicked an 0-2 curveball into the opposite field, just over shortstop Lugo’s head, for the first hit of his career.

“I didn’t really know what to think,” Storen said. “I was just happy I put it in play.”

I love his approach. Go for the downs until there are two strikes, then just try to put the ball in play.

(By the way, how does Drew Storen not have a batting helmet? This is a National League team, and pitchers do get used as pinch runners. Is it really that expensive that the team doesn’t have a fitted helmet for each player?)