LEANDER, Texas — The Houston Astros hosted the New York Yankees in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series at Minute Maid Park Thursday night.
The Mongold family from Leander sat in the stands. At the bottom of the third inning, Knox Wiley Middle School student Liam Mongold heard the smack of the bat from Astros' third baseman Alex Bregman and saw the ball coming toward him in deep left field.
"When I saw it in the air, I said 'OK, maybe.' I said 'Dang, it is getting pretty close,' and I reached out and caught it," Mongold said.
With no glove and only his bare hand, Mongold snagged Bregman's 3-run homerun — the ball that managed to score all the runs the Astros needed to beat the Yankees 3-2 and lead the ALCS series 2-0.
Mongold, the eldest of his two brothers, said he reached over his middle brother, Cole, to catch it.
But there is no sibling rivalry here.
"I would have caught it if he didn't put his hand in the way," Cole said. "I was still excited we actually got the ball."
Liam said the stands were really loud after that homerun hit. Astros fans all around the boys wanted to snap photos of Liam with the prized ball.
"When Liam caught the ball, everyone wanted high-fives and pictures," Hayes, the youngest Mongold, said. "My mom said, 'This is what it feels like to be a celebrity.'"
The Mongold boys said they have been Astros fans their whole lives since their dad is a fan. They got tickets to Game 2 of the ALCS in Houston and, believe it or not, almost missed their chance to catch the game ball. Liam said when they arrived, they were sitting in the wrong seats and in the foul ball territory.
"I'm glad we caught that," he said, laughing. "Or we wouldn't have caught the ball."
The homerun ball is now in a case and Liam said it will be displayed in his room.
The Astros will be on the road to Yankee Stadium for Game 3 and Game 4 of the ALCS. The Mongold boys each have predictions on how it will go:
"Astros, all day," Liam said.
"Astros, definitely. No doubt," Hayes said.
"I feel like the Yankees might win one game at Yankee Stadium since they will have home-field advantage," Cole said.
No matter where the games may be, the Mongolds will be watching.
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