Baseball fans across the U.S. and world are mourning the loss of longtime ESPN reporter, Pedro Gomez, who passed away on Sunday, Feb. 7 at 58 years old.

He died “unexpectedly,” according to a statement from ESPN Sports and Content Chairman, James Pitaro.

Based in Phoenix, Arizona, Gomez covered baseball for a number of ESPN studio programs including SportsCenter and Baseball Tonight, and often appeared on ESPN Radio and at live events.

The year he joined was also the year of his favorite moment to cover as a journalist. 

During game 6 of that year’s National League Championship Series between the Chicago Cubs and Florida Marlins, a Cubs fan — later identified as Steve Bartman — interfered with Cubs outfielder Moises Alou when he tried to catch a foul ball.

The Marlins went on to score eight runs in the inning and extend the series to a game 7, which they would win.

ESPN also credits Gomez as being an integral piece of the network’s coverage of Barry Bonds between 2005 and 2007 as he chased Hank Aaron’s home run record.

Gomez, born to Cuban parents in Miami, was also a major part in ESPN’s historic coverage of an exhibition in 2016 between the Cuban national team and the Tampa Bay Rays. He also covered a U.S. National Soccer team match in Havana against Cuba in 2008.

Before ESPN, Gomez held baseball reporting jobs at the Miami News, San Diego Union, San Jose Mercury News, Miami Herald, and the Sacramento Bee.

He was recruited to ESPN from the Arizona Republic, where he was a columnist and national baseball writer.

His unexpected death was met with universal mourning from colleagues, players and organizations.

Their reactions reiterated his professionalism as a reporter and kindness as a person.

Gomez is survived by his wife, Sandra, and two sons, Dante and Rio, who is a part of the minor league system under the Boston Red Sox.