Evan Longoria’s rare bunt helps Diamondbacks, a breakdown
What Happened
In a critical Game 3 matchup between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers, veteran third baseman Evan Longoria makes a rare strategic decision that pays huge dividends for the Diamondbacks. With the game tied 1-1 in the bottom of the third inning, Longoria steps up to the plate and unexpectedly lays down a bunt, moving the runner on first base into scoring position at second. This is a surprising move from the 38-year-old Longoria, who hasn't bunted in a game since 2014. The Rangers' third baseman, Josh Young, is caught off guard, playing in too close to defend against the bunt. Longoria's well-placed bunt rolls past Young, allowing the runner to advance to second base safely. In his very next at-bat, Longoria capitalizes on the Rangers' defensive adjustment, driving a ball down the third base line that gets past the drawn-in Young. This scores the runner from second, giving the Diamondbacks a 2-1 lead. Commentator remarks, "That's exciting. Look where he's playing. He's playing way in. My friend, my dear friend, Trevor Plooft, he texted us. He said, why are they playing Longo to bunt? And we responded, because he bunted earlier in the game. And he was like, what? Longo bunted?" The Diamondbacks continue to employ their small-ball tactics, having Longoria bunt again in the following inning to move the runner into scoring position. This aggressive baserunning and willingness to sacrifice outs pays off, as Longoria is then able to score on a single, extending Arizona's lead. explains, "It's just a fun example that one sack bunt led to two more runs just because the fear of a bunt was now put into Young and the Rangers' brains." Despite trailing 2-1 in the series, the Diamondbacks' clever use of the bunt has allowed them to capitalize on the Rangers' defensive adjustments, ultimately leading to multiple runs in this crucial Game 3 matchup.
Full Transcript
Click timestamps to jump to that momentThe Diamondbacks have been snaking teams to death with their brand of small ball.
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Now, obviously, they're down 2-1 in the series,
but the one game they did win and majority of the playoff games they won
have been, in large parts, due to their small ball.
In the third inning, Evan Longoria bunts.
He hasn't bunted since, like, 2014.
He moves the runner to second base.
And what that does is, in his very next at-bat,
now, with a runner on second base, he puts one down the line,
and it's past the third baseman who's playing in,
and now the runner on second, Thomas, is able to score to give them another run.
That's exciting.
Look where he's playing.
He's playing way in.
My friend, my dear friend, Trevor Plooft, he texted us.
He said, why are they playing Longo to bunt?
And we responded, because he bunted earlier in the game.
And he was like, what?
Longo bunted?
And the reaction times just aren't the same.
When you're playing that close, and the ball's scorched down the line.
Now, I went to the footage, and I found Josh Young, the third baseman for the Rangers.
These are all the situations where there was a runner on second.
There was no outs.
He was playing third base, and a ball got hit hard to him.
And I wanted to see, is he ever playing up?
And no.
Look where he's playing in all of these.
Well behind the back.
That's where you would expect him to play on that Longo ground ball,
and it would have been turned into an out.
And then I went, okay, well, here's all Longo's at-bats.
Similar situations where he puts a ball down the line.
Has any third baseman this year played him to bunt in this situation?
And I watched all the footage, and I said, no.
They're all well behind the back.
Because Longo doesn't bunt until they got Snake's Fever and bunted.
And now Young is worried about the bunt again.
He's worried about them stealing third.
He's playing in.
It leads to a run.
And then.
You have Longo on first base.
No outs.
So the D-backs say, let's just do it again.
Let's bunt Longo to second base.
Give them the out at first.
Now we got another runner in scoring position, and it's just cyclical.
And the Snake is just wrapping itself around you, wrapping itself around you,
small-balling you to death.
Because now you get a ball put in play, and Longo, all 38 years of him,
goes second to home on a single and scores another run.
And bam.
Can't believe it.
He's smiling.
You're smiling.
Although they are losing the series, they're down 2-1.
But it's just a fun example that one sack bunt led to two more runs
just because the fear of a bunt was now put into Young and the Rangers' brains.
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Thank you guys for watching.
I appreciate it.
Go the baseball.
Go both teams.
I'm rooting for both teams equally.