Sonny Gray had a nightmare fourth inning Sunday, surrendering two home runs, watching a Cincinnati Reds lead turn into a five-run deficit and ending a start with a career-high eight runs against him.
Then something unique happened when manager David Bell came to the mound for a pitching change.
Gray asked Bell if he could keep the ball as he waited on the mound for reliever Edgar García to run from the bullpen. Once García arrived, Gray gave the ball to Bell, then gave García a fist bump and a pat on the back.
As disappointed as Gray may have been with his own performance – "The fourth inning was more about myself," he said – he encouraged his teammates to keep fighting without him.