NBC broadcast had the absolute perfect call of Alec Bohm’s game-ending play

Alec Bohm had himself a game on Thursday night for the Philadelphia Phillies, and the only thing that might've topped it was the call to end the game.

After homering in the bottom of the fourth to break the team's streak of 19 straight singles, and overall putting up a 2-for-3 day, Bohm made the game-ending slide and catch in foul territory to prevent the Pittsburgh Pirates from mounting a comeback.

On the NBC Sportsnet Philadelphia broadcast, John Kruk and Tom McCarthy were in the booth, and it was the latter who delivered a memorable call for the play:

With two on and two out, McCarthy declared, "He loves this place," as the third baseman made the catch and sent the fans home happy.

Thursday's 5-1 win gave the team its fifth win in the past seven games, but it also marked the two-year anniversary of Bohm's NSFW quote that was caught on camera mid-game.  

On April 11, 2022, Bohm committed three errors against the New York Mets — one in the top of the first that eventually led to a three-run inning for the division rivals, one in the top of the second and one in the top of the third. 

It was after the second throwing error, in the top of the second, when Bohm made a clean throw to first for the out, that fans in attendance at Citizens Bank Park gave him a rousing, sarcastic cheer. The camera for the broadcast caught Bohm saying, "I f*****g hate this place," as he walked toward teammate Didi Gregorius.

Later that game, Bohm worked a walk to start the eighth inning, which started the game-winning rally. 

After the game, Bohm endeared himself to the fans, though, by owning up to the comment, apologizing and admitting that (a) he didn't mean it and (b) he let the frustrations of the night and his performance get to him.

"Emotions got the best of me," he said in the clubhouse after the game:

If there's one thing Philly fans will appreciate, it's accountability.

Fast forward to the 2022 playoffs, and Bohm was interviewed by Lauren Gardner of MLB Network on the field after the Phillies won the Wild Card Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. He said, "My first two years here didn't go great, but here we are.” When asked what his message to the fanbase was, his reply was simple, "I love this place."

Forward a bit more to when the Phillies clinched a spot in the World Series by beating the San Diego Padres in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series on Oct. 23, and Bohm reiterated the message for the fans: 

After Thursday's game, Tim Kelly of Phillies Nation relayed postgame comments made by Bohm regarding his personal and professional growth over the years: "I think there's a lot of times that I look back and one game over the course of a season, I kinda took it a little too hard at times. So I think now, just seeing the big picture, being a little more calm and confident has really helped me out."

The 27-year-old's ability to deliver at the plate with men on base (.344 average in 2023, .364 in 2024), improve his defense at third base, rock a headband and take accountability has made him a fan favorite in the City of Brotherly Love.

This season, Bohm is slashing .267/.365/.422, with one triple, one home run, eight RBI and a team-high seven walks in 13 games. And after the Pirates leave town, the Phillies welcome two more teams to CBP before hitting the road again, giving Bohm plenty more opportunities to show the fans how much he loves playing in Philadelphia this month.