The Houston Astros' All-Star second baseman, Jose Altuve, had his best game of the season on Thursday, and it may have come with a little help from a young, terminally ill cancer patient named Dillon.
Before the game, Altuve met with Dillon during warm-ups.
During that meeting, Dillon predicted that Altuve would hit a home run in his first at bat and was quite emphatic about it.
While Altuve is one of the best hitters in baseball, he is small at 5-foot-5 and has never been a big home-run hitter. His career high is 15, which he had last year. Before that, he had never hit more than seven home runs in a season. In other words, Altuve is no Babe Ruth.
But that didn't stop him. Leading off in the first inning, Altuve hit the third pitch of his at-bat over the left-field seats and onto the railroad tracks, approximately 425 feet away.
After the game, Altuve reenacted the conversation he had with Dillon, noting that Dillon originally wanted Altuve to break a bat:
Dillon: Hey, Jose, I hope you break a bat in your first at-bat and you can give it to me.
Altuve: [after sending somebody to fetch a bat] I don't have to break a bat to give you one.
Dillon: OK, now you are going to hit a homer.
Altuve: Eh, I hit a homer yesterday. Don't expect me to hit another homer today. But I don't want you to feel bad if I don't.
Dillon: Yes, you are going to make, you will see.
Altuve then said what he was thinking when he hit the home run.
"As soon as I hit the homer and got to second base, I remember him saying it," Altuve said. "I really like the kid. He was really happy to be here."
Altuve went on to collect three more hits in the game and finished 4-4 in the 6-3 loss.
What a moment for Altuve and the young fan.
—Houston Astros (@astros) May 6, 2016
