The bases loaded in the seventh, short-season Elmira's Felix Colon stepped to the plate as a pinch hitter in this July 1991 game and promptly hit a grand slam, The Elmira Star-Gazette wrote.
But Colon just thought about getting in a run, he told The Star-Gazette afterward.
"Just get a hit or tie the game with a long fly," Colon told The Star-Gazette. "I wanted to at least get a run in but he hung a curveball. I hit it well."
Colon hit that grand slam in his third season as a pro. He went on to play a decade in affiliated and independent ball. He topped out ta AA.
Colon's career began in 1989, signed by the Red Sox as a free agent out of his native Puerto Rico.
Colon started with the Red Sox in the rookie Gulf Coast League. He hit .224 in 58 games. he then moved to high-A Winter Haven and returned to the GCL for 1990. He hit .219 on the year.
He arrived at Elmira. He hit .249 there in 63 games, including 12 home runs. He hit another home run that July, a three-run shot to break a tie.
"I was thinking knocking in runs," Colon told The Star-Gazette after that home run. "A tie game, two runners on, short game, I was hoping to get some runs in and win the game."
Colon returned to Winter Haven for 1992, then saw high-A Lynchburg in 1993 and AA New Britain in 1994. He hit .226 in 129 games there.
He briefly played at AA Jacksonville with the Tigers in 1995, then moved to independent ball and Massachusetts for 1996. He hit .339 in 69 games that year and .355 in 77 games in 1997.
Colon knocked in the winning run in a June 1997 game, a ball that rolled to the wall, The Bangor Daily News wrote.
"The first pitch was a sinker in and I fouled it off," Colon told The Daily News. "Then he threw a slider, and I got it pretty good."
Colon returned for 1998, but only saw three games. He went 6 for 9 to end his career.
- Elmira Star-Gazette, July 7, 1991: Pioneers sweep Blue Sox
- Elmira Star-Gazette, July 12, 1991: Colon savors winning homer
- Bangor Daily News, June 3, 1997: Mad Dogs edge Blue Ox 3-2 in 11
Made the Majors:1,307-33.3%
Never Made Majors:2,616-66.7%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors:530
10+ Seasons in the Minors:327-X
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