The Mayor goes long! Former Bulldog Jake Mangum hits first MLB home run

Back at the end of March, Mississippi State baseball legend Jake Mangum finally got the opportunity he had been waiting years for. He got the call up to the majors with the Tampa Bay Rays, and he took full advantage, thriving early in his rookie season.

Unfortunately last month, Jake's MLB career hit an early snag. He suffered a groin injury that landed him on IL. After his recovery, he went back down to Triple-A for a rehab stint. He passed that test with flying colors and got the call back up to the Show. And in his second game back in the big leagues, Mangum reached an important career milestone.

Jake Mangum hits first big league homer as Rays crush Astros

The Tampa Bay Rays had their way with the Houston Astros Saturday, winning 16-3 in Daikin Park in Houston. The Rays hit five home runs on their way to victory. One of those home runs came from Jake Mangum, his first deep shot as a big leaguer.

Mangum's 392-foot, two-run blast to right center was a part of a six run 7th inning for the Rays that put the game out of reach. It was the biggest moment of a productive day for the Mississippi State alum. Mangum went 2-5 at the plate with three RBI, the other hit and run batted in coming on a 6th inning single. In the bottom of the 1st, he made an diving grab in centerfield to end the inning.

On the season, Mangum is batting .329 with an OPS of .370. He's got 25 hits with 10 RBI and eight stolen bases. You can see why the Rays were eager to bring him back into the lineup. Even after an injury that could have derailed his first MLB opportunity, he's right back to proving he should've been playing at this level a long time ago.

Now I'm sure many are wondering if Mangum got his first ever HR ball, and he did! It turns out that the fan who caught the ball was a Rays fan living in Texas. According to Rays TV reporter Ryan Bass, Mangum signed a bat and ball for the fan in exchange for the HR ball. Fittingly enough, the fan was wearing maroon.

And who better to get Jake's first HR ball but his mom, Stacy, who Bulldog fans know has been there every step of the way for his son's career. She also captured the HR on video to have her own POV of the moment saved forever.

It's great to see Jake Mangum back in the Show and continuing to prove all his doubters wrong. He's been a big league talent for years. He just needed the chance to show it, and even with some adversity, he's made it clear to everyone he's right where he belongs.