West Fargo's Andy Young belts first Major League home run

SAN DIEGO — West Fargo High School graduate Andy Young belted his first Major League Baseball home run Sunday, Aug. 9, against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park.

Young cracked a two-run home run off Padres reliever Luis Patino in the ninth inning. The Padres held on for a 9-5 victory despite Young's first long ball in the big leagues.

"There's one for West Fargo," said one of the television announcers after the the home run.

The home run was estimated at 419 feet. The ball traveled over the fence in left-center field. The television broadcaster added that Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo liked the way Young can smash both left-handed and right-handed pitching.

"His nickname is going to be 'The Smasher' and he smashed that one," the announcer added.

"We had a first career home run (Young), we had a first career base hit (Daulton Varsho)," Lovullo said after the game. "Those are things that are very exciting for this group, and just the intensity and energy in the dugout didn't stop."

San Diego Padres pitcher Matt Strahm, also a West Fargo graduate, made sure that Young got his first MLB home run ball, according to the Diamondbacks official Twitter account.

The tweet read: "Just two kids from West Fargo, North Dakota, in the big leagues. When @AndyjYoung15 ’s 1st @MLB home run landed in the bullpen, @MattStrahm made sure he got to keep the ball."

Young has played in five games for the Diamondbacks since making his Major League debut Saturday, Aug. 1. The 26-year-old rookie is batting .375 (3-for-8) with one double, one home run and three RBIs.

Young got his first Major League hit on Tuesday, Aug. 4, against the Houston Astros. The 2012 West Fargo High School graduate went 2-for-2 in that game with a double and also scored a run.