Dodgers’ Hernandez Admits Mistake on Bizarre Double Play

The National League Championship Series opener between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers brought a play that had everyone—fans, players, analysts—just baffled. In Game 1, Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernández took the blame for a wild 8-6-2 double play that almost nobody could remember seeing in the postseason for at least 35 years.

It was a mix of Milwaukee’s sharp defense and a Dodgers basepath blunder, and it flat-out killed what looked like a promising inning.

The Play That Stunned the NLCS

The whole thing kicked off in the top half when Max Muncy launched a deep shot to center. Brewers outfielder Sal Frelick timed his leap at the wall, and for a second, it looked like he’d made the catch.

But Frelick actually lost the ball off the wall, then snagged it again on the rebound. That tiny moment of confusion set off chaos for the Dodgers on the bases.

Hernández’s Hesitation

Hernández, watching from third, figured Frelick caught it. He started heading back to tag up, just like his teammates.

But after the ump signaled the catch, Hernández hesitated. That brief pause was all Milwaukee needed to pull off one of the weirdest postseason double plays I can remember.

Frelick hurled the ball to shortstop Joey Ortiz, who relayed it to catcher William Contreras. Contreras tagged out Hernández at home, then spun and fired to third, getting Will Smith for the second out.

Suddenly, it was a picture-perfect—if almost unheard of—8-6-2 double play.

A Mental Lapse Under the Lights

Afterward, Hernández faced the media and didn’t dodge the issue. “I froze. It was my mistake,” he admitted.

The veteran outfielder said his instincts just let him down, and by the time he snapped out of it, Milwaukee’s defense had already shut the door on the inning.

Roberts’ “Brain Fart” Assessment

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts stood by Hernández, calling the moment a “brain fart.”

Roberts pointed out that Hernández obviously knows the rules, but sometimes, even the pros just blank in a big moment. For the Dodgers, that error stung—on the scoreboard and in the dugout.

Why the 8-6-2 Is So Rare

An 8-6-2 double play isn’t impossible, but it’s almost never seen, especially in the playoffs. You need an outfielder making a tricky catch in deep center, dead-on relay throws, and runners caught in limbo, all at once.

• An outfielder making a tricky catch in deep center field
• Precise relay throws from the outfield to the infield
• Runners caught in between bases due to uncertainty

The Elias Sports Bureau says this was the first postseason 8-6-2 double play in at least 35 years. Seeing it in a huge playoff game just made the whole thing that much wilder.

The Bigger Picture for the Dodgers

Moments like this can haunt a team in October, when every baserunning choice gets blown up. The Dodgers couldn’t cash in on Muncy’s deep drive, and instead, the inning just flatlined.

That let the Brewers grab all the energy. In a tight series, those swings can matter as much as a clutch home run.

Lessons for the Remainder of the Series

For Hernández, the lesson’s simple: trust your gut and don’t quit on the play. The Dodgers, meanwhile, just have to clean up the baserunning.

Even the most seasoned guys can freeze up, and the postseason doesn’t cut you any slack.

Final Thoughts

Baseball’s beauty lies in its unpredictability. The Dodgers-Brewers Game 1 reminded everyone that even seasoned pros can end up part of history—sometimes for reasons they’d rather forget.

Hernández’s mental lapse will be replayed for years. Milwaukee’s defense showed real alertness and nailed the fundamentals when it mattered most.

This bizarre 8-6-2 double play will stick in fans’ memories. Sometimes, the line between heroics and heartbreak in October feels razor-thin.

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