From the Locker Room: Adam Engel's catch seals the no-hitter
It started out for Adam Engel as just another game as part of a right-field platoon, and ended with a tiny piece of Lucas Giolito's no-hitter immortality.
"Kinda leading up to that play, as a defender you’re really locked in," Engel said postgame. "Your mindset is get to every ball, although you're thinking more like a ball at the wall. You put out all means necessary to catch anything, do whatever you have to do to get there."
A natural center fielder and one of the best and fastest defenders in the game, Engel was not worried about treading cautiously into a ninth inning that could have ended with a no-hitter.
"I was joking around with guys beginning around the sixth inning, saying, if I gotta play balls into an error, I’ll do that," Engel grinned. "I was not going to not get to a ball."
A student of defense, Engel knew the scouting report on leadoff hitter Erik González, and thus had him played perfectly. For everyone watching the batter and hearing the contact — including catcher James McCann, who admitted he hadn't held his breath like he did on that last contact in a long time — the fear was a hit falling to spoil the effort with one out left.
Engel had other plans.
"I knew I had to come in, it was a decently easy read," Engel matter-of-facted. "I made the catch and it was an incredible feeling, seeing Giolito accomplish that feat. To put it all together for nine innings ... I still can’t get over how excited I am for him. I can’t say enough good things about Lucas. It was something really special to see. I'm still kinda on Cloud 9 for the guy."
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Video courtesy of the Chicago White Sox.