Roman Anthony's sister, Lia, celebrates as Red Sox rookie tags top Cy Young contender Paul Skenes with HR blast

Boston Red Sox prodigy Roman Anthony took the NL's best pitcher, Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes, for a ride in the fifth inning on Friday. Anthony turned on a 98.8 mph fastball from Skenes and crushed it 408 feet over the right-field wall, giving Boston a 2-0 lead.

Anthony's sister, Lia, who attained fame after appearing in his debut game, reshared the moment on social media.

Despite Anthony's fireworks, the Red Sox messed it up in the sixth inning, allowing the Pirates to score three runs and another in the eighth to lose 4-2. Anthony, who was the leadoff hitter for Boston, went 2-4 at the plate.

Meanwhile, Pirates ace Skenes had another quality start with six strong innings, allowing one earned run on seven hits and one walk while fanning six.

Lia reveals reaction of her brother Roman Anthony after she shot up to fame

When Roman Anthony made his MLB debut for the Red Sox at Fenway Park, cameras spotted Lia cheering on her brother from the stands. The next she knew, her Instagram followers count swelled from 3,000 to over 14,000 almost overnight.

On WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show, Lia reflected on her brother Roman and her family’s response to the sudden fame.

“I think he definitely was shocked. We all were,” Lia said of her brother's reaction. “We all were kind of in disbelief. But, I mean, he’s got bigger things to focus on. So, he’s just been focusing on his debut and everything. But I think we were all just shocked by it.”

During the same interaction, Lia also shared about her experience meeting Red Sox legend David Ortiz when she first visited Fenway Park for Roman Anthony's debut.

“Oh my gosh. The people were amazing,” she said. “It was an incredible experience. It was actually, this is my first time in Boston, and I had never been to Fenway. … (The Red Sox) brought us to meet David Ortiz. It was just an unreal experience.

“My mom especially was so touched by it, because David Ortiz had shared a couple words with her, talking about how incredible Roman is and how he’ll be the face of the franchise. And it’s all just so surreal to hear that, especially about your brother, who you’ve grown up watching and supported his whole life. I mean, the whole thing is just surreal.”

Lia Anthony is in her senior year at Florida State University, pursuing a degree in Human Development and Family Sciences.

About the author

Krutik Jain is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. It was in 2018 when the baseball bug bit Krutik, and already a cricket fan, he credits baseball's rules and Clayton Kershaw's pitching to have hooked him to the game.

A Kershaw and Mookie Betts fan, Krutik rates his favorite team LA Dodgers triumphing over Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series as his best baseball moment so far. His answer to the perennial "one player from the past you could meet" question is Jackie Robinson. Despite never having seen him play, Robinson's impact, legacy and trail-blazing journey have left an indelible impact on Krutik.

A rigorous fact-checker, Krutik likes reporting on the technical aspects of the game as well as off-field elements. When not watching baseball, Krutik is busy playing cricket, staying up to date with the happenings around the world and hiking.

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Edited by Bhargav