The Toronto Blue Jays beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-3 on Thursday thanks to a go-ahead home run by first baseman Justin Smoak in the eighth inning. If you were watching the game’s broadcast on Sportsnet, however, you might have thought that reporter Hazel Mae, not Smoak, was the game’s hero.
You see, when pitcher Ryan Tepera attempted to drench Smoak in Gatorade as celebration of his big hit, he missed almost entirely and instead nailed Mae dead-on.
Oops. @thehazelmae ate all of that one. @BlueJays #BlueJays pic.twitter.com/GoqSQ5bXta
— Ryan MacLeod (@CTVRyan) August 17, 2017
We’ve seen plenty of reporters become collateral damage in Gatorade bath sneak attacks, but rarely have we seen one who absorbed nearly the entire blow. Smoak got a little Gatorade on his shoulder, while Mae was basically swallowed whole by the drink.
Mae recovered enough to inform Smoak, “I’m good” but then seemed unable to compose a next thought and wound up waving Smoak away. It’s not easy to conduct an interview when you’ve just been destroyed by a fruity beverage.
Mae seems to have been a good sport. She quickly made light of the incident on Twitter.
Tepera's got location issues 😢👎 https://t.co/UYZ5YH6Nyx
— Hazel Mae (@thehazelmae) August 17, 2017
Gatorade baths are an occupational hazard for any on-field reporter, but no one should have to take a hit like that. Hopefully Mae keeps a change of clothes at the ballpark or something. Otherwise, that car ride home must have been very, very sticky.
