Those watching Sunday night’s game between the Atlanta Braves and San Francisco Giants saw one of the more unusual plays in recent memory.
Atlanta had already scored three times in the fifth inning to take a 3-2 lead. And with runners on second and third, Ronald Acuña Jr. came to the plate with a chance to pad the lead even more. But Acuña hit a soft grounder to first baseman, J.D. Davis. And with the infield drawn in, the runners were forced to freeze — at least temporarily.
Davis flipped the ball to pitcher Scott Alexander. Only, Alexander was slow to cover and was nowhere near close enough to first base to beat Acuña to the bag. Second baseman Thairo Estrada, though, continued to sprint toward the base and was well positioned to beat Acuña to the bag. Recognizing that, Alexander bare-handed the flip from Davis and immediately flipped to Estrada. That completed an unusual 3-1-4 putout, and the play was not over.
Seeing the Giants struggling with the play at first base, the runner at third, Orlando Arcia, took off for home, trying to score. After tagging first base to retire Acuña, Estrada fired the ball home. Home plate umpire Emil Jimenez initially ruled that Arcia had avoided the tag of catcher Patrick Bailey. But the Giants challenged the play and eventually, the call was overturned. When all was said and done, the Giants turned a highly unusual 3-1-4-2 double play.
Not every day you see a putout at first base that uses a relay throw.
The old 3-1-4-2 double play. pic.twitter.com/UaQnVubrLi
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) August 28, 2023
Fans reacted to the odd chain of events.
"It seems like a play you'd see in a Savannah Bananas game." https://t.co/SyrC6zaDI9
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) August 28, 2023
The Giants just turned the 3-1-4-2 double play. Nasty stuff.
— Jon Tweets Sports (@jontweetssports) August 28, 2023
I’ve never seen this before, but damn that was slick! https://t.co/adenmaNYB0
— Zach (@zoidbergererer) August 28, 2023
Greatest double play I've ever seen
3-1-4-2 to end the inning, with the challenge successful pic.twitter.com/pFU62g1acF
— Danny Emerman (@DannyEmerman) August 28, 2023
Day 1 Install https://t.co/ccuoY5YFuO
— Steve Palazzolo (@PFF_Steve) August 28, 2023
[Photo Credit: ESPN]
