GIF: Addison Russell hits first Cubs home run before Kris Bryant

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Kris Bryant hit 55 home runs in 181 minor league games. Addison Russell hit 38 home runs 244 minor league games.

Who do you think was first to hit their first big league blast?

Of course, the unexpected happened Friday, with Russell beating Bryant to the milestone against the Brewers at Wrigley Field.

Not only has Bryant's prodigious power been talked about since the minute the Cubs drafted him in 2013, but he also had five more major league games on Russell heading into Friday's afternoon tilt.

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But it was Russell who was first to smack his first major league roundtripper, a solo shot in the bottom of the third that landed in the under-construction bleachers in left-center field.

Take a look:

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Of course, some enterprising Cubs fan made the leap into the active construction zone to retrieve the ball, though the Cubs wound up with the ball and will give it to Russell as a keepsake.

Cubs manager Joe Maddon gave Russell the day off Wednesday after the rookie had been struggling some at the plate. With Thursday's off-day, that gave Russell back-to-back days where he could hit the reset button and get his head back on track. The move seemed to work, as Maddon felt the 21-year-old looked more at ease at the plate - "I thought his approach today was outstanding."

 

Bryant is still without a homer at the major league level, though that's expected to change any time now. But for the moment, Russell has bragging rights on his fellow rookie infielder.

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