{"id":14730,"date":"2025-07-26T17:39:48","date_gmt":"2025-07-27T00:39:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportrelay.com\/mlb\/?p=14730"},"modified":"2026-03-18T05:22:41","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T12:22:41","slug":"nick-kurtz-guys-on-base","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportrelay.com\/mlb\/2025\/07\/26\/nick-kurtz-guys-on-base\/","title":{"rendered":"The Nick Kurtz Game: What the Guys on Base Thought As He Hit the Four Homers"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Nick Kurtz Game: What the Guys on Base Thought as He Hit the Four Homers<\/h2>\n

HOUSTON (July 26) \u2014 One day after \u201cThe Nick Kurtz Game<\/strong><\/a>,\u201d those connected with the game were still in disbelief. Much has been written about this game, and much has been discussed in interviews. But three people close to the situation had yet to share their stories \u2014 the runners on base for his first and fourth home runs. (The second and third were solo shots.) These runners were Max Schuemann<\/a><\/strong> (first homer) as well as Gio Urshela<\/a><\/strong> and Carlos Cortes<\/a><\/strong> (both from his fourth). They shared their stories Saturday in one-on-one interviews with this reporter \u2014\u00a0and Schuemann revealed how close we came to possibly not seeing the first homer at all.<\/p>\n

The Baserunners from the Fourth Nick Kurtz Homer<\/h3>\n

When Kurtz<\/strong><\/a> ripped home run number four in the ninth, Gio Urshela was on third base. \u201cEven before he was walking to the box,\u201d Urshela said, \u201cI said, \u2018This might be number four here.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

And when Urshela was waiting at home plate to greet Kurtz after he completed his trot around the bases, a different thought ran through his head. \u201cI was like, \u2018How\u2019d he do that?\u2019 It\u2019s impressive. Something you don\u2019t see every day.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t Get Out against a Position Player.\u201d<\/h4>\n

Standing on first was Carlos Cortes, playing in his third major league game. He had reached with two outs and Kurtz on deck. Had he not done so, Kurtz would not have even batted in the ninth.<\/p>\n

Some may think he wanted to get on base more than usual so Kurtz could try for his fourth homer. Nope. \u201cI had, honestly, no idea,\u201d Cortes explained. \u201cI knew that he had three homers, but I wasn’t even thinking about needing to get a hit so he could get his fourth. That was not going through my head.\u201d<\/p>\n

So what was?<\/em> Well, since outfielder Cooper Hummel<\/a><\/strong> was pitching, it was pretty basic. \u201cDon’t get out against a position player. Try and barrel up a ball here. After punching out three times, I was (thinking), \u2018Let me try to do something here.\u2019 I had no idea.\u201d<\/p>\n

Standing on First<\/h4>\n

Upon reaching first, Cortes was scared, even saying so to first-base coach Bobby Crosby<\/a><\/strong>. \u201cI was scared that he was gonna hit one right at me at 120 (mph), so that’s all I was thinking about.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen he goes backside for a homer. I thought, \u2018Oh, crap! He did it!\u2019 I really told Bobby I was terrified. He said he was, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

As he ran the bases, he did so in disbelief. He thought, \u201cI can\u2019t believe that ball just went out. Fourth homer. I\u2019ve never been part of a four-homer game or anything close to that. Special player.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Nick Kurtz crossed the plate and slapped fives with Urshela and Cortes, Cortes told Kurtz, \u201cYou\u2019re Him<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Baserunner from the First Homer \u2014 and How It Might Not Have Happened<\/h3>\n

When Kurtz batted in the second inning, the A\u2019s led, 3\u20130. In the first, Kurtz had singled and scored. Obviously, no one knew what was yet to come. So Max Schuemann, the runner on first, had a different mindset than Urshela and Cortes had in the ninth. \u201cI was talking back and forth with Bobby, and what we do is go through the game situation and decide whether it is a good time to steal. In Carlos\u2019 at-bat, I was thinking about potentially stealing \u2014 get on second with the top of our lineup coming up.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe ended up getting out, and then Kurtz stepped to the plate. I was going back and forth with Bob again.\u201d Essentially, Schuemann told Crosby he thought he had the pitcher\u2019s move figured out, but he was going to let Kurtz hit. \u201cBob looked at me and said, \u2018Probably a good idea.\u2019 So I said I\u2019d let the kid hit because he\u2019s been absolutely on a tear. Either the next pitch or two pitches later, he hit the home run.\u201d<\/p>\n

Running the Bases<\/h4>\n

As he jogged around the bases, Schuemann thought to himself that he had made the right choice by not stealing. \u201cI ended up going to Bobby and telling him it was probably a good idea,\u201d he laughed.<\/p>\n

Did Schuemann tell Kurtz about this? Schuemann does not think so. \u201cI\u2019m trying to find a way to keep the kid humble,\u201d he joked. \u201cAfter yesterday\u2014 it doesn\u2019t get much better than that, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

A Good Luck Charm?<\/h4>\n

Schuemann opened up about a current situation. \u201cMy monitor (for video games) broke. So especially when I\u2019m not in the lineup, I\u2019ll play a bit more. A later at night type of deal. Being the person he is, (Nick) has volunteered to give me his monitor. So my running joke with him is, \u2018Hey, I have your monitor. The monitor is mine now, because you haven\u2019t gotten out.\u2019 I\u2019m convinced that since he\u2019s getting a little extra sleep, whatever it may be, that\u2019s part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Schuemann concluded the conversation by sharing that virtually everyone on the team was wondering, \u201cWhat did we do yesterday that we can make that happen again?\u201d When reminded that a 6-for-6\/four homer\/six runs scored\/19 total bases game has only happened one other time in major league history, Schuemann said, \u201cThat\u2019s what I\u2019m saying. It\u2019s one of those things that\u2026man, I don\u2019t even know what to say about it.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was fun to be a part of.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Main Photo:<\/h4>\n

Embed from Getty Images<\/a>