Unraveling the Brewers-Dodgers 8-6-2 Double Play: The Wildest Play in Postseason History!

MILWAUKEE — How will you describe one of the wildest moments in postseason baseball history to your grandkids?

Picture this: Max Muncy crushes a ball 404 feet, nearly clearing the center-field fence. But instead of a grand slam, it results in a bizarre double play. How does that happen?

This crazy play unfolded during Game 1 of the National League Championship Series. The final score? Dodgers 2, Brewers 1. Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell was a star, throwing eight innings of one-hit, ten-strikeout baseball, while the Brewers faced the tense pressure of leaving the bases loaded in the ninth. But let’s focus on that mind-boggling double play.

The play went like this: Muncy hit what looked like a sure home run, but it hit the glove of center fielder Sal Frelick, bounced off the wall, and came back to him. Meanwhile, Teoscar Hernández, who was on third base, failed to tag up and was caught at home. Will Smith, on second base, didn’t advance as he should have and was also tagged out at third by catcher William Contreras. It was a complete mess that left fans scratching their heads.

Muncy himself was baffled. “I’m still kind of confused,” he admitted, echoing the sentiments of many watching. Even Frelick, who made the catch, said he had no idea what was happening during the chaos.

Interestingly, official scorer Tim O’Driscoll classified it as a “ground-ball” double play because the ball wasn’t caught in the air. “You can’t say it was a half-caught play in the air; it has to be categorized as a GIDP,” he explained. Incredibly, this was the first of its kind in his 39 years of scoring games.

So, how likely is it to see something like this again? Research from Statcast revealed that this was the second-longest double play since 2015, with the first being 410 feet. Traditionally, double plays are shorter; the average is much less than this unusual scenario.

Baseball thrives on strange moments, and this one certainly fits the bill. Teoscar Hernández’s blunder and the odd scoring will likely be discussed for years. As Rhys Hoskins, a Brewers player, remarked, “You come to the yard, and sometimes you see something you never saw before.” Well, this was one of those moments.

This bizarre double play has now sparked conversations about the history of unusual baseball plays. The event has become a topic of debate among fans and analysts alike, raising the question: was it the strangest postseason double play ever?

For context, a similar incident occurred in the 1980 NLCS, when a pitcher thought he made a routine out, only for it to spiral into confusion and multiple tag-outs. Comparing history reveals the unpredictable nature of baseball, where even the most solid expectations can turn upside down.

Whether you’re a die-hard baseball fan or a casual observer, this odd moment is a reminder of why we love the game — anything can happen, and often, it does.



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Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, MLB