HOUSTON — Houston Astros sideline reporter Julia Morales has earned the respect of baseball fans with her knowledge of the game and rapport with the players.
Now in her 12th season, the Emmy-Award-winning sports journalist is right at home on the diamond and in the dugout.
But Monday night, Morales moved up to the broadcast booth to call play-by-play during the game against the Oakland A's while Todd Kalas took her spot behind the scenes.
The "Trading Spaces" idea was cooked up by the TV broadcast crew.
But it was extra special -- historic, in fact -- because a woman was also doing play-by-play for the A's.
Jenny Cavnar became Oakland's regular play-by-play TV announcer this season and she's the first woman in MLB to fill the role full-time.
“The part I’m most excited about is this is all happening with [Cavnar],” Morales told MLB's Alyson Footer. “What people don’t know about this is how close we are and what good friends we have been and how much we’ve leaned on each other."
“I just know that as a friend, it’s really cool that we get to be doing this game at the same time together,” Cavnar agreed. “I know her so well. I know her work ethic. I know her baseball knowledge. I know how well she knows this team. I can’t wait to see her in a role where she can shine. To be here on the night she’s doing it is so special for me.”
Morales and Cavnar have been friends for more than a decade. They both have 3-year-old daughters, which can be challenging with the traveling and long hours the job requires.
“It’s really hard to understand our job, it’s just really unique. There’s not many of us. We’ve definitely created a bond," Morales said.
The reaction from Astros fans was overwhelmingly positive. And Morales' reaction when 3B Alex Bregman broke out of a slump with the first of two "Breggy bombs" in the fourth inning was priceless.
"Bregman drives this one and you can say bye to that baseball, y'all!" Morales yelled as she stood up and cheered. She threw down her pencil like a mic drop as color analyst Geoff Blum laughed before high-fiving her.