Triston Casas hits first career homer, gives ball to dad after Red Sox negotiate an exchange with fan

BOSTON -- At least the Red Sox have Triston Casas. Boston's No. 2 prospect is finally in the big leagues, giving Sox fans a reason to watch the team as they play out the rest of the season. 

Casas hit his first career homer in Tuesday night's 8-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, one of the few Boston highlights from an otherwise disappointing night at Tropicana Field. The 22-year-old first baseman didn't exactly crush the J.T. Chargois offering, sending it a projected 371 feet to right field at an exit velocity of 96.7 MPH. 

But it got the job done, and the two-run shot cut Tampa's lead to 3-2 at the time. Casas will hit plenty of tape measure shots during his career, but he's happy to have his first career homer out of the way.

"It felt pretty surreal," Casas said after the game, via RedSox.com. "I honestly couldn't believe it happened that way, that pitch in that park. I guess I had never really hit a home run at a 96 mph exit velo. I didn't think it was going to go. It felt awesome just to get us back in the game."

After rounding the bases, Casas got his first ride in Boston's celebratory laundry cart in the dugout. While he was celebrating with his teammates, Red Sox representatives started the process of getting the kid his baseball.

That required a little negotiating with the fan who caught the ball: 23-year-old Jordan Blatner.

Blatner made a last-minute decision to head to Tuesday's game, after catching his first-ever Rays game on Sunday. Decked out in Rays gear -- with a White Sox shirt underneath, since he is from Chicago -- it all played out perfectly for Blatner when the ball left Casas' bat. As he was enjoying his chicken wings, Blatner happened to drop his phone. He got up to retrieve it as Casas' blast made its way to section 126 at The Trop, and the ball hit him in the arm. He picked it up off the ground, thinking he had a pretty cool souvenir to bring home.

He ended up bringing home a lot of cool souvenirs instead. At first, he was unaware that it was the first career homer by Casas. Then began the lengthy process of getting Casas his baseball -- and Blatner a little something something, for the effort.

Blatner tried to make his way to the Boston dugout to give Casas his ball, but was stopped by security and told to wait.

"I was trying to bring it to the Red Sox's dugout myself, because I've seen stuff all over of people catching historic home run balls and trying to leave with it. Absolutely not," Blatner told RedSox.com. "This is for him. I'm lucky that I'm even getting anything in return. I really don't need to be. But thank you."

After chatting with Red Sox equipment manager Tommy McLaughlin, a deal was struck. Blatner went home with a nice collection of Red Sox memorabilia: a signed bat and ball from Casas, and autographed baseballs by Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers.

Casas had his milestone ball, but it didn't stay in his possession for long. He had someone special to give it to: His father, Jose, who was in the stands to watch his son play as a big leaguer for the first time. 

That moment sounded even more meaningful than when Casas went yard.

"It was a really special moment. Something we have been thinking about for a really long time," said Casas. "Growing up, I obviously wanted to be a Major League baseball player. Hitting your first Major League home run, I shared that moment with him, gave him a hug. 

"He got pretty emotional after I gave it to him. Hopefully this is the first of many," added Casas.