PITTSBURGH (AP) – Ben Gamel and Chase De Jong have spent five-plus years bouncing around the major leagues in search of a home.
Maybe they’ll stick in Pittsburgh. Maybe they won’t. They’ve been around long enough to know it’s unwise to take anything for granted. Better to live in the moment, particularly the ones the journeymen enjoyed during an 11-1 victory over Atlanta on Monday.
Gamel hit two homers and drove in six runs while De Jong (1-3) navigated a rocky first inning to pick up his first victory in nearly three years. Not bad for a couple of guys who have played for a combined nine teams since 2016.
“My boy was in the stands, my wife was in the stands,” Gamel said. “It was a really special night.”
De Jong and Gamel were teammates in Seattle in 2017. They’ve moved around plenty before reuniting on a rebuilding team in which they are likely merely placeholders. They’ve learned that it’s simply part of the business, which made their respective performances a little bit sweeter.