Get ready for a mind-boggling play that will leave you scratching your head! The 2025 Brewers, a team that defies all logic, pulled off an incredible double play in Game 1 of the NLCS, turning a seemingly routine fly ball into a game-changing moment.
With the bases loaded and one out, Max Muncy of the Dodgers sent a rocket to the center field wall. Sal Frelick, the Brewers' center fielder, made a valiant effort, but the ball slipped out of his glove and hit the wall. Here's where it gets controversial: because the ball touched the wall before being caught, it's considered in play, and the Dodgers' runners held up, thinking it was an out.
But here's the twist! The Brewers capitalized on this moment of confusion. Catcher William Contreras quickly realized the situation and jogged down to third base to force out the runner, ending the inning. It was an unconventional double play, to say the least.
Teoscar Hernández, the runner at third, made a crucial mistake by hesitating. He should have tagged up and advanced to home plate as soon as Frelick caught the ball. Instead, he waited, and by the time he realized the catch wasn't clean, it was too late. Will Smith, the runner at second, also failed to advance, and both were forced out.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts admitted, "It happened fast. I didn't know he didn't catch it." He added, "Teo knows the rule, but he had a momentary lapse in judgment."
The Dodgers challenged the play, hoping to overturn the force outs, but the ruling stood. Rule 5.09(a)(1) states that a catch is valid only if the fielder securely possesses the ball in flight without using any part of their uniform. In this case, Frelick's contact with the ball before it hit the wall negated the catch.
And this is the part most people miss: catching the ball on the way down was pure luck or excellent defense by Frelick. It didn't result in an out, and once the ball hit the wall, it was a base hit for Muncy. The runners should have advanced, but their hesitation cost them.
Brewers manager Pat Murphy summed it up, "Sal caught it, then it touched the wall. A baserunner got confused, and we capitalized. We got very fortunate there."
The Dodgers had a strong inning against Quinn Priester, with Hernández walking, Freddie Freeman hitting a rocket to left field, and Smith and Tommy Edman singling. But the Brewers' unconventional double play kept them off the scoreboard.
Despite the double play, the Dodgers survived a bases-loaded scare in the ninth inning to take Game 1. Historically, winning Game 1 in a best-of-seven series gives a team a 65% chance of winning the series.
So, what do you think? Was it a lucky break for the Brewers, or a costly mistake by the Dodgers' runners? Let's discuss in the comments!
