Evanston Native Catches Jake Arrieta's Home Run Ball

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - Even in defeat, Jake Arrieta's three-run home run off Madison Bumgarner in Game 3 of the National League Division Series will go down as one of the most memorable playoff moments in Chicago Cubs history, especially if the team makes 2016 a once-in-a-108-year occasion.

And the man who hauled it in from the stands made sure it would end up in Arrieta's hands.

CBS-Chicago reports Ed Baum has lived in San Francisco since his family moved there when he was just seven years old. He’s a native of Evanston who never gave up his ties to the Cubs and his early memories of attending games at Wrigley Field.

Baum, who calls himself “an experienced bleacher bum,” caught Arrieta’s shot in the top of the second and said he had no trouble catching it.

“It was easy to catch. I caught it more like a first baseman than an outfielder,” he said.

At the time, it appeared that the Arrieta home run would be all the Cubs would need to finish off the Giants in a sweep. But Arrieta ended up with a no-decision on the mound and the Cubs lost in extra innings.

The ball, though, will eventually end up with Arrieta. Baum told CBS he immediately reached out to someone in the visitor’s clubhouse to make sure of that.

“The experience was catching the ball,” he said. “Of course the ball should be back with Jake.”

More via CBS-Chicago

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