gopher ball

gopher ball

In baseball, a pitch that the batter hits for a home run. "Gopher" is an alteration of "go for," referring either to the batter "going for" extra bases or home plate, or the ball "going for" a home run. It's 3-2—if he could just hit a gopher ball, he'd tie the game.
See also: ball, gopher
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

gopher ball

n. a baseball pitch that is hit as a home run. (When it is hit, the batter will go for home.) The center fielder did a dive over the fence trying to get the gopher ball.
See also: ball, gopher
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • dust off the batter
  • beanball
  • two strikes against someone/something, to have
  • batter
  • batter down
  • step up to the plate
  • it's outta here
  • squeeze play
  • have two strikes against (one)
  • pinch hitter
References in periodicals archive
Wakefield served up a total of 10 gopher balls during that streak.
Tigers complete sweep; Peavy hit hard again as Sox lose 4th in row
Sox relievers have worked 40-2/3 straight innings without giving up a gopher ball. ...
Varitek leaves bat cave
"It was right down the middle, up in the zone," Shields said, shaking his head about the gopher balls. "They're good hitters over there, and they took advantage of it.
Berrios' 6-hitter leads Twins past Shields, White Sox
Craig Breslow gave up a home run to Caleb Joseph and has served up eight gopher balls in 53⅔ innings.
Surgery today for Pedroia
Although Lima just escaped Bert Blyleven's single-season record of 50 gopher balls; no other hurler has ever given up homers with such frequency.
PERCEPTIONS HAVE CHANGED
He has served up eight gopher balls in 26⅔ innings this year.
Losing season for Red Sox
Of the 156 gopher balls served up by Sox pitching, 111 came with nobody on base.
Staying healthy helped; AL East champions made up for absences
In contrast, John Lackey has served up 21 gopher balls but they have cost him just 25 runs.
Uehara extends shutout streak
With 15 gopher balls served up, Dempster is third in the league.
Buchholz sent to DL
That was significant considering that in his previous three starts, he had served up six gopher balls.
Starters win rare 2 in row; `Big Four' doubles down on Texas
Masterson worked 21-2/3 innings between gopher balls.
Southpaw shows some frustration
Overall, 12 of the last 15 gopher balls off Sox pitching have come with nobody on base.
Hansen: Perfect crime or stray plunking?