With his team ahead by one with two-out in the fourth inning, Los Angeles Angels’ center fielder Gary Matthews Jr. took a comfortable lead off third base. Arizona Diamondbacks right-handed pitcher Max Sherzer was in the midst of his delivery when the alarm was sounded by the home crowd.

Matthews, once Sherzer started his windup, broke for home. Sherzer realized this, and threw the pitch outside. Catcher Miguel Montero caught the pitch, but it was too late. Matthews flew in, sliding gracefully across the plate to score the fourth Angels’ run. Nonchalantly, he popped up, then jogged back to the dugout downplaying the significance. The Diamondbacks and their fans were left in disbelief.

It was the third time a straight steal of home has been accomplished this season. Boston Red Sox center-fielder Jacoby Ellsbury did so against the New York Yankees in late April. Demarlo Hale, the third-base coach, watched Ellsbury study Andy Pettitte’s delivery, then witnessed a rarity. Talking about the feat after the game, Ellsbury said “I joke around with DeMarlo all the time about how I can steal home…when I saw Andy in his windup on the previous pitch, I was thinking, ‘I can make it.’” With two out ahead by one against their hated rival, Ellsbury had the guts few have in this era of baseball.

As Ted Keith of Sports Illustrated documents in his article, The art of stealing home: Studying baseball’s most exciting play, some players dislike the idea of stealing home. The Florida Marlins’ Hanley Ramirez has stolen 148 bases during his four year career. Yet, despite his success, he has not only never attempted the gutsy and dangerous play, but he has never contemplated doing so.

The New York Mets’ speedster Jose Reyes–who averaged 65 stolen bases during the 2005-2008 seasons–has stated the opposite, but has yet to back up his excitement.

The Toronto Blue Jays’ Aaron Hill, who swiped home off Pettitte in 2007, said that he’s “never experienced anything like it.” I am sure, if asked, that a maj