Kieboom strong in return
Walton grad has two hits, drive in insurance run for Nats in 14th inning
CUMBERLAND — Like a great deal of the people inside SunTrust Park for Saturday afternoon’s Atlanta Braves game, Spencer Kieboom woke up at home and made the short trip down to the stadium.
The one difference is that Kieboom was going to work.
The former Walton High School standout was in town for the weekend, making his - town stadium as a catcher for the Washington Nationals.
“It was really cool to be so close to the ballpark,” Kieboom said. “I was able to take Cobb Parkway, and I didn’t even have to get on the highway. They did a great job of making this place convenient.”
It was the third game of a four-game series between the two teams battling for the National League East lead. An announced crowd of 39,508 was in the stadium as Kieboom’s Nationals beat the Atlanta Braves 5-3 in 14 innings.
Kieboom also was a contributor to the Washington victory, which narrowed the Braves’ division lead a halfgame. Starting behind the plate and batting eighth, he multi-hit game — and drove in an insurance run in the
A fifth-round draft pick out of Clemson in 2012, Kieboom was busy living his dream of playing at the stadium of the team he grew up rooting for.
“I grew up a huge Braves fan,” he said. “It’s so cool to be playing here. I was big Javy ( Lopez) fan, since we both were catchers, and who didn’t love Chipper and Andruw? I used to dream about catching ( Greg) Maddux and all those guys. I loved this team.”
The 27-year-old already accomplished a few milestones since his call- up from Triple- A Syracuse in mid- May. He got his first May 19 in the first game of a doubleheader against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
In a statistical quirk, Kieboom’s first career hit came nearly 1 ½ years after his first run. Brought up for the final game of t he 2016 season, he entered as a pinch- hitter and drew a walk before soon coming around to score.
Kieboom has appeared in five games this season, with four starts behind starting catcher Pedro Severino. After his two hits Saturday, he is batting 3- for- 18 (. 167).
“I still live here, and this place is special. My t ax dollars are wellserved,” Kieboom said. “But once the game starts, I just focus on calling a good game. I’m sure, as time passes, there will be some great memories from ( Saturday).”
Among those in attendance f or Kieboom’s homecoming were his parents, Alswynn and Lynnette, and middle brother Trevor, a former player at Clemson and Georgia who now works as a baseball agent.
Youngest brother Carter Kieboom missed the game, but he had a good excuse. One of the leaders from Walton’s 2016 state championship team, he was a first-round selection of the Nationals that June andi snow playing for Washington’s advanced Class A affiliate in Potomac, Maryland.
The family was was able to see plenty, as Spencer Kieboom hit a single past Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies in the 12th inning, then came back in the decisive 14th with his single to left.
“It was great to contribute to a win,” Kieboom said. “At the moment, you aren’t thinking about where you’re playing. It’s hot and we played a long game. I was glad we scored a run and put a zero up the next inning.”
Kieboom gave way to Severino in the bottom of the 14th and watched as closer Sean Doolittle retired the side.
“It’s really cool to be in the majors, and even more to be competing against the team I grew up loving,” he said.