National Post Sports

Bryce Harper gets hit by Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels, then steals home. All in a day’s work for the Nationals rookie. Hamels later admitted he hit Harper on purpose, in a “welcome to the big leagues” moment:

“I was trying to hit him. I’m not going to deny it,” Hamels said. “That’s something I grew up watching, that’s kind of what happened, so I’m just trying to continue the old baseball because I think some people are kind of getting away from it. I remember when I was a rookie the strike zone was really, really small and you didn’t say anything because that’s the way baseball is. But I think unfortunately the league’s protecting certain players and making it not that old-school, prestigious way of baseball.”