Brewers Turn Max Muncy’s Near Grand Slam into Wild Double Play in NLCS Game 1
MILWAUKEE — What could have been a game-breaking grand slam by Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Max Muncy turned into one of the most bizarre and brilliantly executed double plays in recent postseason memory.
In the top of the fourth inning of Game 1 of the National League Championship Series on Monday night, Muncy drove a pitch 404 feet to center field. Off the bat, it looked destined to clear the wall and break the scoreless tie. But what followed was a moment of chaos, confusion, and stunning awareness from the Milwaukee Brewers’ defense.
“It’s definitely the worst fielder’s choice/double play I’ve ever hit in my life,” Muncy joked after the Dodgers held on for a 2-1 victory.
A Rare Defensive Sequence
With the bases loaded and just one out, Muncy’s deep shot sent Brewers center fielder Sal Frelick leaping at the wall. The ball tipped off Frelick’s glove, struck the top of the padded wall, and bounced into the air — before Frelick corralled it on the rebound.
Though it looked like a clean catch to many, the ball touching the wall rendered it a live ball, not an out.
As the Dodgers’ baserunners scrambled, uncertain whether Frelick had made the catch or not, Milwaukee’s defense kicked into gear. Frelick quickly fired the ball to shortstop Joey Ortiz, who turned and gunned a perfect throw to catcher William Contreras.
With the force play still in effect, Contreras planted his foot on home plate and caught the ball just before Teoscar Hernández could slide in. The heads-up play cut off what would have been the first run of the game.
But it didn’t stop there.
Contreras then jogged to third base and tagged the bag, catching Will Smith retreating from second — also under the mistaken belief that Frelick had made a clean catch.
“It was just awareness,” Contreras said through an interpreter. “I could see right away it hit the wall. That told me the play was still alive, and we had a chance.”
Miscalculation on the Bases
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts acknowledged the mental slip that led to the double play, pointing out that Hernández initially tagged up, then reversed course — misjudging the play.
“Teo knows the rule,” Roberts said. “He tagged correctly, then saw the ball wasn’t caught and went back. That was the mistake. But he owned it.”
MLB replay officials reviewed the sequence and upheld the call, confirming both forceouts. The unusual 8-6-2 double play abruptly ended the Dodgers’ biggest threat of the night.
Postseason Rarity
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, there hasn’t been an 8-6-2 double play in the MLB postseason in over 35 years. The last recorded instance of such a play in the regular season came in 2004, when Ken Griffey Jr. triggered one while playing for the Reds.
Even more remarkable, Muncy’s 404-foot drive goes down as the second-longest batted ball to result in a double play since Statcast began tracking data in 2015 — postseason and regular season included.
Despite the missed opportunity, the Dodgers recovered. A solo home run by Freddie Freeman in the sixth and a late RBI double by Mookie Betts secured the narrow win.
A Wild Highlight for the History Books
The rare play is now etched into postseason lore — not for its power, but for its precision. What began as a near-grand slam ended as a defensive masterclass, and a reminder that even the most routine-looking fly ball can turn into something truly extraordinary in October.
“It was chaos,” Frelick admitted. “I had my hands out like, ‘What just happened?’ But we made it work.”
And in a series that’s expected to go the distance, that one moment may prove to be a turning point.
