The Atlanta Braves went from potentially allowing the tying run to score in the ninth inning to completing a game-winning double play in shocking fashion in Game 2.
That play allowed them to tie the series against the Phillies.
With the Braves up, 5-4, one out, and Bryce Harper running on first base, Nick Castellanos hit a long drive towards the outfield.
Center fielder Michael Harris II improbably made the catch and Harper, who thought the ball was going to the gaps, was already running towards third base at that moment.
Harris threw the ball to the cutoff man in the infield, Orlando Arcia, but he missed it.
Fortunately for the Braves, third baseman Austin Riley had positioned himself right behind the cutoff man in case Arcia failed to make a play.
It was a clever move by Riley because the flow of the play wasn’t around third base anymore, so he felt (correctly) that he could leave his position.
“Lost in the fold last night was Austin Riley putting himself in a position to make a play. If he’s not there, that ball trickles towards the backstop and Harper advances to second, maybe third. Insane baseball awareness,” Baseball Quotes tweeted.
Lost in the fold last night was Austin Riley putting himself in a position to make a play
If he’s not there, that ball trickles towards the backstop and Harper advances to second, maybe third.
Insane baseball awareness pic.twitter.com/1kSGcqdwZA
— Baseball Quotes (@BaseballQuotes1) October 10, 2023
Since Harris caught the ball, the odds of Harper making it back to first base to tag and then advance to second or third like the tweet says were slim.
Still, there wouldn’t have been a game-winning play at first base if Riley had stayed at third base.
It was one of the most thrilling plays in recent postseason history, and you see the crowd erupting after Riley successfully completed his throw to first base to get Harper out.
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