Alen Hanson was first on the scene. The second baseman drifting toward the outfield, tracking the fly ball down the right-field line, and sped up once he saw Gregory Polanco, his teammate since their days at short-season Class A State College in 2011, crumpled to the ground, holding his right ankle. Hanson put a hand on Polanco’s waist and bent over to check on his friend.
The high fly ball struck by the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Yasmany Tomas in the sixth inning of the Pirates’ 4-3 walk-off win Monday at PNC Park had sent Polanco crossing through shadows, shielding his eyes, as he bolted toward foul territory.