The final play of Game 2 between the Braves and Phillies is kind of play that you can watch over and over again. Luckily, because it’s the postseason, it was captured from all sorts of angles—each of which is better than the last.
In case you somehow missed it, the game ended on a dramatic double play by Atlanta. Center fielder Michael Harris II made a leaping catch at the wall on a deep fly ball hit by Nick Castellanos. Bryce Harper, who had taken off from first after Castellanos hit the ball, needed to hustle back to the base to avoid being doubled up. Harris’s throw back to the infield was slightly off line, so Harper might have made it back safely if not for a smart play by Austin Riley, who was backing up the cutoff man, Ozzie Albies. Riley corralled Harris’s errant throw and fired to first to retire Harper and end the game.
Here’s what it looked like on TV, and here’s what it looked like from a camera in the right field corner. But this last angle might be the best of them all. It was filmed from third base line and it shows the crowd erupt once the call at first is made.
The @Braves turn the first-ever 8-5-3 double play in the #Postseason ... and it ends the game!
— MLB (@MLB) October 10, 2023
h/t: @SlangsOnSports, @EliasSports pic.twitter.com/dhMxbnZaZ4
The video also shows just how far Harper had gone before Harris made the catch. He was getting ready to round second when the first out was made and had reverse direction so quickly that he stumbled. He sprinted as hard as he could back toward first, but it was too late. Riley’s head’s up play had Harper out by a mile.
