Braves player Riley hits home run the day after his mentor dies in car crash

Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley hit a home run on Sunday after learning that his good friend and mentor Mike Brumley was killed in a car accident on Saturday night. Brumley was the hitting coach in the Braves’ minor league system from 2018-2021.

Riley looked up and pointed to the sky after hitting a two-run blast to tie the game in the eighth inning against Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Jason Adam.

“He was in the back of my mind all day,” Riley said after the game, according to Mark Bowman of MLB.com. “It’s just tough.”

Riley added that he had not slept since learning of Brumley’s death at 2:30 a.m. The two became friends during Brumley’s tenure with the organization.

“There are very few people who have served as role models for me in my baseball career,” Riley said. “My dad is No. 1 and Mike Brumley was No. 2. I feel for his family and his kids and everyone who was close to him.”

When the Braves were in Baltimore last week, Riley even met with Brumley to take some batting practice with him.

“I’ve been talking to him regularly,” Riley said. “It’s going to be hard to keep going, mentally. I just have to pray more and trust in God. It’s in his hands.”

Brumley, 61, played in the major leagues for eight years between 1987 and 1995 before becoming a coach.