SAN DIEGO -- Chris Rice and Neda Iranpour weren't even planning to come to Friday night's game at Petco Park until a friend gave them tickets at the last minute. A day later, they were the stars of the dugout.
Rice went viral Friday night when he caught Pablo Sandoval's game-winning home run with his bare hand while holding his five-month-old daughter, Roya. The Giants invited the family onto the field Saturday during batting practice and they met with Sandoval, who spent about a minute cradling the well-behaved child and then signed the ball and a bat he brought over from the clubhouse. Rice offered to give the ball back to Sandoval but he refused to take it.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
"How are you doing man? Nice catch," Sandoval said.
"Thank you, thank you. Great hit, man. I was feeling it after the other night, that you'd walk it off," Rice replied.
Rice grew up in the Sacramento area and said he's a lifelong Giants fan. Though he has caught foul balls before, he had never snagged a home run, but the family was seated a few rows behind the left field wall when Sandoval went deep in the 11th inning. Rice said he realized the fan in front of him wasn't getting his glove up in time so he reached out and snagged the ball. It appeared Neda, who is a local TV anchor in San Diego, was reaching for the baby.
But she said she never had any concerns, laughing and explaining that her husband has a supernatural ability to hold their daughter while accomplishing other things.
San Francisco Giants
"I knew she was in great hands," Neda said. "It was more about the people around us."
Mom got a bit worried as fans started high-fiving her husband, but their young daughter slept through most of it. A day later all three were in the dugout, smiling and taking pictures as a wave of players and coaches passed through.
[RELATED: Pablo praises baby-holding dad]
Bruce Bochy was first and cracked, "Nice work, we've got a spot in the outfield for you." Evan Longoria, a father of two, came over and introduced himself and said, "Nice catch, dude. That was awesome!" The veteran coaching staff seemed the most impressed. The family took a picture with Shawon Dunston, Alonzo Powell and Jose Alguacil at the end of batting practice.
"Father of the year!" Dunston yelled repeatedly. "Father of the year!"