BOSTON — Nicky Delmonico’s baseball collection is growing.
The White Sox rookie collected his first major league souvenir with his first hit Tuesday against the Blue Jays at Guaranteed Rate Field. On Thursday, he homered to right field against the Red Sox at Fenway Park for his first round-tripper.
It was his third major league game.
“I made solid contact with it, and I don’t know, I went too fast around the bases,” he said. “It didn’t really register that I did it. But it was awesome. It was a great feeling.”
Delmonico said his older brother Joey, who was in attendance and waiting for him after the game, will get the ball. He said the last time he was at Fenway was in 2003 for a Red Sox vs. White Sox game, although Nicky would say it was Yankees vs. Red Sox.
Whatever.
“It was pretty cool to do it here,” Delmonico, who homered and singled against Rick Porcello in a 9-5 loss for the White Sox. “He was here with me watching the game back in 2003 just as fans.”
The brothers played high school baseball together. Joey would play ball at Georgia, and their brother Tony was a catcher in the Dodgers organization from 2008-12. Rest assured the entire family, including their father, Rod, a former head coach at Tennessee, are enjoying Nicky’s inauguration into the majors.
“I got to see [Joey] before [batting practice] and give him a hug,” Delmonico said. “It was pretty cool to do it tonight, not just at Fenway, but with him watching, too.”
Delmonico hit 12 homers and drove in 45 runs at AAA Charlotte before the Sox called him up this week. An infielder by trade, the Sox are grooming him to play the outfield as well. He has played left in all three games after playing 13 there for Charlotte.