Watch: Mallex Smith's 1st career HR barely leaves park
No doubt Mallex Smith never expected to have to slide into third on his first career home run.
The Atlanta Braves rookie lined Matt Harvey's pitch off the top of the wall at Citi Field, and appeared to have just barely legged out a triple on the play. An umpire review, however, revealed the ball actually hit a concrete area beyond the wall and above the orange home-run demarcation line - literally, about an inch above it - to give Smith his first round-tripper.
Will never forget it.
— FOX Sports Southeast (@FOXSportsSE) May 4, 2016
Thinks triple. Gets reviewed. Turns into first career home run for Mallex Smith. #ChopOn pic.twitter.com/ueG00Rr7fX
"I was hoping it was going to stay fair," Smith told reporters. "That's what I was really worried about. And then when I saw it bounce back I was just trying to get three. I didn't know.
"(Third-base coach) Bo Porter said something to me: 'I think you might have hit that out. They're going to review it.' And then they reviewed it and I saw it on the screen. Ah, hit a home run. That's pretty cool."
The Braves appreciated Smith's brief flash of power, too, as it was just their sixth homer of the season as a team.
(Video courtesy: MLB.com)