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Brewers Unbelievable Double Play Comically Dubbed a Ground Ball by Official Scorer

Your run of the mill 8-6-2 GIDP.

Blake Silverman

Sal Frelick plays a ball off the wall to start a double play against the Dodgers.
Sal Frelick plays a ball off the wall to start a double play against the Dodgers. / Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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The Brewers pulled off one of the wildest double plays—or maybe just plays—you'll ever see in baseball Monday night.

In Game 1 of the National League Championship Series, Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy hit a shot deep to center field with the bases loaded that could have broken a scoreless tie. Milwaukee center fielder Sal Frelick was able to make a play on the ball, keeping what would have been a grand slam in the park. He didn't make the catch initially, as the ball bounced off the wall and into his glove as he came down on the warning track.

The ball hitting the fence made the play live, which caused chaos on the base paths. Frelick fired a throw in to shortstop Joey Ortiz who relayed the ball home for a force out as the L.A. runners retreated back to their original bases because they weren't sure whether it was a catch or not.

Brewers catcher William Contreras casually jogged over to third base after making the first out, tagging the bag and securing a truly wild inning-ending double play:

The best part is the MLB's official site ruled that Muncy “grounded” into a double play, which, while technically correct, obviously doesn't encapsulate the true madness of the play.

Baseball fans and personalities couldn't get enough of the wacky play and ruling:

What had the possibility to open up the game for the Dodgers kept the game scoreless in miraculous fashion. Freddie Freeman would break the tie in the sixth with a 362-foot home run to right field, which couldn't be brought back. L.A. added another run in the top of the ninth and despite a rally from the Brewers in the bottom half, the Dodgers were able to hold on for a 2-1 win to take the first game of the NLCS.

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Blake Silverman
BLAKE SILVERMAN

Blake Silverman is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, he covered the WNBA, NBA, G League and college basketball for numerous sites, including Winsidr, SB Nation's Detroit Bad Boys and A10Talk. He graduated from Michigan State University before receiving a master's in sports journalism from St. Bonaventure University. Outside of work, he's probably binging the latest Netflix documentary, at a yoga studio or enjoying everything Detroit sports. A lifelong Michigander, he lives in suburban Detroit with his wife, young son and their personal petting zoo of two cats and a dog.

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