Imagine the thrill of a packed stadium, the roar of the crowd, and a batter stepping up with the bases loaded—only for the inning to end in the wildest twist baseball has seen in decades. That's the heart-pounding drama that unfolded when Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Max Muncy nearly smashed a grand slam to kick off the National League Championship Series, but instead, the Milwaukee Brewers flipped it into an unbelievable double play that left everyone scratching their heads. But here's where it gets controversial: Could this play have been called differently, or is it just a reminder of how baseball's rules can turn heroes into zeroes in a heartbeat? Stick with me as we break down this epic moment, and I'll show you why even seasoned fans were baffled.
In a nail-biting fourth inning on Monday night, with the Milwaukee crowd on edge, Muncy sent a rocket of a drive soaring into center field. The ball looked destined to sail over the wall for a grand slam that would have given the Dodgers an early lead. Brewer outfielder Sal Frelick leaped high, stretching over the fence in a desperate bid to snag it. The ball glanced off his glove, bounced off the top of the wall, and Frelick managed to catch it mid-air. For beginners, this is key: in baseball, if a ball hits the wall before being caught, it's not considered a 'catch on the fly,' meaning runners can't be tagged out for going back to their bases—they have to be forced out instead. But here's the part most people miss: The Dodgers' runners panicked, thinking the ball had been caught cleanly, and bolted back to their bases, setting the stage for the chaos.
Frelick, quick as a flash, whipped the ball to shortstop Joey Ortiz, who zipped it home to catcher William Contreras. Contreras, sensing the force play was still alive (since the ball had ricocheted off the wall), planted his right foot on home plate and stretched to catch the throw, rather than going for a tag. This is crucial for newcomers to the game: a force play means the runner has to advance or be forced out at the next base, even if the fielder isn't touching it when they arrive. Teoscar Hernández slid into home but hesitated briefly, probably confused by the ball's bounce, and Contreras tagged him out. Not stopping there, Contreras dashed to third base—yes, the catcher jogged across the field—to force out Will Smith, who had retreated to second thinking the catch was legit.
As this whirlwind unfolded, Frelick stood there with his arms outstretched, a puzzled expression on his face, mirroring the shock on millions of viewers' faces. It was like watching a magic trick where the rules bend reality. The Dodgers challenged the call, but after a replay review, the umpires upheld the double plays: one at home and one at third, scored as an 8-6-2 (center field to shortstop to catcher, then catcher to third for another out). This rarity hadn't happened in the postseason for 35 years, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, and the last regular-season one was by Cubs legend Sammy Sosa in 2004, though that ended with a tag at the plate. For context, the ball traveled an estimated 404 feet, making it one of the longest-hit balls to result in a double play since advanced tracking began in 2015—talk about turning a potential home run into a defensive masterpiece!
Now, this is where opinions diverge: Was the play fair, or did the rules unfairly punish the Dodgers for a momentary mix-up? Some fans argue it was ingenious base-running alertness by the Brewers, while others cry foul, suggesting the hesitation by Hernández was just human error in a high-pressure moment. And what about Frelick's acrobatic effort—should he get extra credit for almost snagging it, or does the bounce-off-the-wall rule need tweaking to prevent such bizarre outcomes? It's moments like these that make baseball so endlessly debatable. What do you think—was this a stroke of defensive genius or a cruel twist of fate? Do you agree with the ruling, or should the rules be changed to avoid confusion? Share your thoughts in the comments; I'd love to hear if you're team Dodgers or Brewers on this one!
