TORONTO -- It was a swing worthy of Vladi Guerrero, Tony Gwynn, Manny Sanguillen or any other bad-ball hitter you care to name.

Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval watched the knuckleball of Toronto R.A. Dickey float higher and higher and higher, and just before the helium ran out -- when the ball was over his head, he insisted -- Sandoval did what comes naturally. He swung.

According to ESPN Stats and Information, no one has put a higher pitch in play in the past five years.

Has Sandoval, who swings at pitches out of the strike zone more often than anyone currently playing -- 46.9 percent, according to Fangraphs.com -- ever swung at a higher pitch?

"No," he said with a wide smile. "Never. Crazy.

"But I hit it good."

It’s a wonder he hit it at all. Sandoval grounded the ball to shortstop Jose Reyes, who threw him out.