Trailing 4-3 in Monday night’s game against the San Francisco Giants, the St. Louis Cardinals needed baserunners in the bottom of the ninth. They got one, thanks to a bounce that defies physics.
Jordan Walker led the inning off for St. Louis and worked a 3-2 count against San Francisco’s closer, Camilo Doval. Walker hit the ball fairly well but on the ground. It appeared to be headed right to shortstop Brandon Crawford for what likely would have been a 6-3 putout. Then, things got weird.
We normally think of bad hops for fielders as a ball that bounces a little higher or lower than expected. This was different. The ball hit right around the seem that separates the infield grass from dirt, then took off straight in the air. It went several feet above Crawford’s head and into left field for a single.
One of the weirdest bounces you will ever see. pic.twitter.com/bGFkgKLyiW
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) June 13, 2023
The bounce left baseball fans understandably baffled.
This is like 100% proof for Cardinals devil magic like how does that even happen https://t.co/QB3qUTNGMl
— WillYum (@Willuwu) June 13, 2023
https://twitter.com/BRSchuff/status/1668446778314596353
Gonna need a physicist to explain to me what the hell just happened on the field in St. Louis pic.twitter.com/MRBKC57wRy
— Ben Ross (@BenRossTweets) June 13, 2023
Swear I saw this in Angels in the Outfield 😂 https://t.co/tExAHrcrs4
— Zach (@zoidbergererer) June 13, 2023
Indeed, this sequence would have fit right into any game sequence in Angels in the Outfield and nobody would have batted an eye.
The Cardinals couldn’t do much with the tremendous break. The next hitter, Paul DeJong, grounded into a double play. The double play proved huge for the Giants, as Tommy Edman and Brendan Donovan both reached base after DeJong. But Doval eventually retired Paul Goldschmidt for the game’s final out.
[Photo Credit: NBC Sports Bay Area]
