Braves' historic double play caps Game 2 comeback win - ESPN

ATLANTA — A historic and improbable double play sparked by Michael Harris II capped the Braves' dramatic comeback to win Game 2 of the NLDS and even the series with the Phillies.

Having rallied from a four-run deficit, the Braves were clinging to a 5-4 lead in the ninth inning with Bryce Harper on first base and Nick Castellanos up to bat with one out. Castellanos hit a flyball to deep right-center field that would've been a home run in five MLB parks and that StatCast gave a .610 expected batting average.

Harris read it quickly, telling reporters after the game, «I knew off the bat it was going to be close to the fence, so I knew once I went back, I wasn't stopping. I was going to do anything I could to get a glove on it.»

Harris leaped to catch it, hitting the outfield wall, then immediately set his feet to relay the ball back to the infield, toward second base. As Harris caught the ball, Harper was about five steps past second base.

«Usually you don't pass the base,» Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. «You stay in front of it, make sure it's not caught. But he thought the ball was clearly over his head, didn't think he was going to catch it. And Harris made a heck of a play. Unbelievable. He tried to get back, and he slipped, but usually you stay in front of the second base.»

Second baseman Ozzie Albies whiffed trying to scoop Harris' throw, but third baseman Austin Riley was standing between second base and the mound backing up Albies. That wasn't by design.

«I think the only reason I was in the position that I was because I was screaming one and just momentum just kept pulling me that way,» Riley said. «And it ended up just being right spot at the right time.»

Riley scooped the ball backhand and threw it to first in