Overview
- The Dodgers beat the Phillies 2-1 after a ninth-inning sequence ended when pinch-runner Justin Crawford was trapped between third and home and J.T. Realmuto ran from third back to second and was thrown out, producing a 5-2-6-4 game-ending double play.
- Realmuto took responsibility after the game, calling it a “bad baserunning play” and a lapse in judgment for leaving third base instead of staying in scoring position.
- Crawford said third-base coach Anthony Contreras told him to run on contact but not to third on a play to the left side, and he admitted hesitating before getting caught in the rundown.
- Manager Don Mattingly said he considered a right-handed pinch-hitter for Brandon Marsh in the spot but left Marsh in, a tactical choice that set the scene for the game-ending grounder to third.
- Fans and broadcasters reacted strongly on social media and during the telecast, with many comparing the mistake to past late-game mental errors and raising questions about fundamentals as the Phillies prepare for the series finale.