Unlikely Ending to a Potential Grand Slam
In a moment that will linger in postseason lore, Max Muncy’s potential grand slam for the Los Angeles Dodgers was transformed into a remarkable 8-6-2 double play in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers. The sequence began with the bases loaded and one out in the top of the fourth, and the ball traveled 404 feet toward center field before a fateful interaction with Sal Frelick’s glove and the wall.
The Play Unfolds
Muncy’s drive looked destined to ignite the Dodgers in a close game that would ultimately end 2-1. Frelick leaped at the wall, made contact with the ball, and it popped out of his glove before he brought it back into the field of play. The ball then hit the top of the fence and defied a clean catch. Dodgers baserunners—lured into thinking the ball had been caught—began retreating, creating a chaotic, misread moment as the ball stayed live.
Dodgers catcher Will Smith, on second base, recounted his own perspective: “I didn’t see it hit the wall. I just thought he kind of brought it back in and caught it.” Frelick’s throw to shortstop Joey Ortiz, who relayed to catcher William Contreras, set the stage for an extraordinary sequence rooted in forceouts rather than a typical home run or grand slam.
How the 8-6-2 Double Play Happened
Contreras, aware a force play was in effect, sprawled to tag Teoscar Hernández at home as he slid across, preventing a run after the ball’s odd bounce. Though Hernández hesitated at third base, Contreras’ awareness and quick decision to tag—rather than assume a caught ball—proved pivotal. Once Hernández was ruled out, Contreras hustled to third to force out Smith, who had returned toward second base, thinking Frelick had preserved the catch.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts praised his players’ adherence to the rule and the execution under pressure: “Teo knows the rule. I think right there he had just a little bit of a brain fart… But he owned it. And after that, there’s nothing else you can do about it.” The sequence concluded with the call upheld on review, confirming forceouts at home and third for a truly unusual inning-ending double play.
Historical Context and Impact
Statcast later highlighted the intrigue: at 404 feet, the ball’s projected distance marked the second-longest for a batted ball that produced a double play since tracking began in 2015. The 8-6-2 configuration has been nearly unseen in the postseason, with Elias Sports Bureau noting no such play in the last 35 years of postseason baseball. The most recent 8-6-2 postseason double play before this came in a different year with a ball hit by Sammy Sosa, though that play ended with a tag at home.
What It Means Going Forward
Dodgers fans won’t soon forget the night began with a near-grand slam that instead turned into a masterclass in situational baseball. Muncy’s long drive created the moment, but Contreras’ disciplined awareness of the force play and the ensuing chain of events preserved a hard-fought lead for Los Angeles. The Dodgers went on to win Game 1, setting the tone for a series that figures to feature more high-pressure decisions and unlikely outcomes.
Quotes and Reactions
After the game, Muncy joked about the unusual outcome, calling it “the worst fielder’s choice/double play I’ve ever hit in my life.” Dodgers bench personnel and players echoed the sentiment that the play could have derailed a promising inning but instead showcased persistence and adherence to rules that paid off in the end.
Both teams will now regroup as the NLCS shifts to a broader strategic duel, where a single swing or a single ruling can swing momentum. This play will be replayed in discussions of postseason quirks for years to come, a reminder that in baseball, even a near-perfect hit can overturn itself into a teaching moment for players and fans alike.
