Wong Homers in Cardinals’ Comeback Over The Yankees

In Grapefruit League play Thursday, Big Island native Kolten Wong snapped an 0-for-7 batting slump with a timely two-run home run in the bottom half of the ninth inning against the New York Yankees. The St. Louis Cardinals later won the game 7-6 when Adron Chambers singled home J.R. Towles in the three-run inning.

Wong entered the game as a defensive replacement for Daniel Descalso at second base in the game’s final few innings. In his only at-bat, Wong looked at a ball off the plate before driving the next one over the right field wall.

The homer, hit off of Yankees’ minor league reliever Kelvin Perez, was the first one hit by Wong in 13 career spring training games dating back to last season. The Kamehameha-Hawai`i graduate has hit 14 career minor league homers between A-level Quad Cities and AA-class Springfield.

For the spring, Wong is hitting .250 with three runs batted in. He has also scored three times, struck out twice, and stolen a base.

New York Yankees 110 001 012 – 6 11 2

St. Louis 001 010 203 – 7 11 1