Nationals catcher botches rundown, a breakdown
What Happened
In the bottom of the ninth inning, the score is 10-1 in favor of the Atlanta Braves over the Washington Nationals. The Braves have already scored six runs through the first three innings, an average of two per inning. Atlanta outfielder Adam Duvall steps up to the plate and pops the ball up, but the Nationals catcher mishandles the catch attempt, allowing Duvall to reach base. Dansby Swanson then drives a ball over the left fielder's head, scoring Duvall and extending the Braves' lead. Atlanta's Orlando Arcia draws a walk, loading the bases. Nationals pitcher Josiah Gray then allows a bloop single to Orlando Garcia, scoring another run for the Braves. Ozzie Albies steps up next, and the teams appear to be exchanging signs, trying to decipher each other's pitching strategy. Albies works the count to 2-2, and the Braves are looking for a strikeout to get the second out of the inning. Nationals first baseman Josh Bell fields the ball and steps on the bag for the out. The Nationals then attempt to get the runner caught in a rundown between third base and home plate. However, the Nationals catcher, who has not properly positioned himself, ends up obstructing the runner's path to third base. Umpire Angel Hernandez immediately calls obstruction, awarding the runner home plate. The Nationals coaching staff, including manager Davey Martinez, is visibly confused by the ruling. Martinez tries to explain the situation to his assistant coach, who struggles to understand the call. Meanwhile, Nationals outfielder Juan Soto tags the runner, but the play is already dead due to the obstruction call. After the inning, Martinez approaches the Nationals catcher and clearly instructs him to go to the back of the line after making a throw, emphasizing that he cannot cut the line and block the runner's path. The Braves' Matt Olson then steps up and strikes out to end the inning, with the score now 10-1 in favor of the Braves. The Nationals coaching staff continues to discuss the obstruction call, trying to fully comprehend the umpire's decision and its implications for the game.
Full Transcript
Click timestamps to jump to that momentthrough the first three innings the
braves already scored six runs that's an
average of two runs in inning i am a
mathematician this breakdown is brought
to you by draftkings they're not going
to stop ozuna takes the fastball puts it
over the center fielder's head puts it
over the fence they call that a home run
seven runs darno slaps that one over the
shortstop he's on the base paths and
then duvall is gonna pop this one up
vote says hey just catch that please
they run over the camera crew says get
the hell out of here oh my god and then
confusion
but a catch so one out the 3-2 to
swanson that's driven over the left
fielder's head that's going to score
darn no and then we got the 3-2 that's a
walk to heredia so the bases are getting
more crowded garcia's gonna bloop
that one
dansby scores that's nine runs which
brings us to ozzy alby's 9-1 game they
got the codes of the signs going what's
it gonna be it's a 2-2
pitch trying to get the strikeout for
the second out in play bell grabs it
steps on first so that runner is out and
now that means it's a force out so they
got a tags around her getting a little
run down or see it says hey go home goes
home now we gotta run down over here
throws it to third throws it back throws
it
back okay already is running home oh my
god he's really doing it to him slides
into third and the catcher is just in
his way
not cool catch catcher falls we talked
about how rundowns work a bunch on here
but if you see
on this side of the ball look at the
line i mean it's like a drill that you
do in practice get to the back of the
line so you see he's got it bell's at
the back of the line pictures the very
back of the line because he pitchers get
cut basically you know the catcher
through the ball didn't get to the back
of the line just completely
blocked the runner from getting to third
it's an easy call for angel hernandez
who gets it right it's obstruction now
he now angel calls it right away good
job the play goes on and you have soto
now running down
the runner tags them and then soda's
gonna tag him and just try to get
everyone out but it was a dead ball as
soon as interference was called and
angel says you're here you're home you
score
it makes sense it's the right call but
everybody's confused look at the coaches
schnitz gonna turn to his coach go yeah
i know but why are we getting home he's
oh i got no [ __ ] idea and then they
go to the other bench davey martinez now
he kind of understands what's happening
he's just disappointed his coach
we didn't get albie's too
what we got albie's one out at first huh
out at first he's confused wants to
trust davey but he just kind of thinks
he's wrong can't figure it out davey
lets him know no there's one out they
called obstruction
what
but they just called him out
um
catch up coach hang with me this is the
best angle of it i mean you can't do
that catch can't do that i don't think
he realizes what happened yet and then
you can see
the ump's had it they're all over it
both of them so it's a good call by the
biomes
you're there
oh
the runner that's there is now there
catcher can't believe it and you're
going to see davey martinez talking to
his coach i can't really read it but he
definitely says something like uh we'll
talk to him we'll talk to him after the
inning let him know he's got to go to
the back of line can't be cutting the
line they just need the inning to end
it's ten to one now you got a strike on
olson seems above the zone now he swings
at the pitch above the zone to kind do
it takes a deep sniff of that georgia
air he loves it there strikes out
innings over catcher goes back to the
dugout and davey martinez puts on his
coaching voice and he says hey
you can't cut the line
stop being such a cutter just go to the
back of the line
after you throw it
that's word for word what he said at the
end i think he says all right vamos and
this breakdown was brought to you by
draftkings thank you very much for
draftkings for sponsoring the breakdown