Brewers pull off 8-6-2 double play vs. Dodgers in NLCS Game 1

• Jesse RogersOct 13, 2025, 09:56 PM ET

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  Jesse joined ESPN Chicago in September 2009 and covers MLB for ESPN.com.

MILWAUKEE — The Brewers pulled off the first 8-6-2 double play in MLB postseason history against the Los Angeles Dodgers during Game 1 of the National League Championship Series on Monday night.

With the bases loaded and one out in the fourth inning and the game still scoreless, Max Muncy hit a deep fly ball to center field. Brewers outfielder Sal Frelick was tracking the ball, and as he leaped to catch it, the ball bounced off his glove, then hit the wall and went back into his glove.

Muncy was not out because the ball hit the wall, but the Dodgers’ runners seemingly thought the ball was caught because they tagged up instead of taking off for the next base.

“I saw it floating there,” Frelick said after the Dodgers’ 2-1 win. “So, I grabbed it and fired it in to [shortstop] Joey [Ortiz] because I saw Teoscar [Hernandez] was going back to third to tag.”

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After unnecessarily tagging, Hernandez took off for home, but not before Ortiz fired a perfect strike to catcher William Contreras, forcing Hernandez out at the plate.

“I was just listening to what [second baseman] Brice [Turang] was telling me,” Ortiz said. “He was doing a good job, letting me know to go [for home plate].”

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts explained Hernandez’s baserunning mistake as a “brain fart.”

“But he owned it,” Roberts said.

After getting the out at home, Contreras ran down and touched third base, getting the force out on Will Smith, who had returned to second when he thought Frelick made a clean catch.

“I didn’t see it hit the wall,” Smith said. “I just thought he kind of brought it back in and caught it. So, I thought it was an out, maybe a sacrifice fly. But it obviously hit the wall and that’s not what happened.”

The play was officially recorded in the box score as Muncy grounding into a double play because there were force plays at two different bases, according to official scorer Tim O’Driscoll, even with it beginning 404 feet from the plate.

According to ESPN Research, Muncy’s double-play ball would have been a home run in nine ballparks, including Dodger Stadium.

“Everyone is a little bit confused in the moment,” Contreras said through an interpreter. “Special moment. Good for us.”

According to ESPN Research, Max Muncy’s double-play ball, at 404 feet, would have been a home run in nine ballparks, including Dodger Stadium. Ross Harried/EPA

As all this was developing, Frelick had his arms out with a quizzical look on his face, seemingly wondering what had just happened. After the play was over, crew chief James Hoye explained the situation to Roberts and asked if he wanted to challenge the call, which he did.

Roberts lost the challenge as both outs were upheld, ending the inning.

“[Frelick is] mad that he didn’t make the catch,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “But if he did, the runner would have scored easily. So, it’s kind of one of those plays, unfortunate for the Dodgers that it happened.”

The most recent 8-6-2 double play in the regular season involved a ball hit by Chicago Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa to Cincinnati Reds center fielder Ken Griffey Jr. in April 2004, although that one ended with a tag at the plate.

“Just one of those weird, freak plays,” Brewers designated hitter Christian Yelich said. “You just play it out. You don’t really know. That was huge. Once that happened, I thought, ‘It’s getting weird, we have a chance.'”

Information from ESPN’s Bradford Doolittle, Elias Sports Bureau and The Associated Press was included in this report.

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