The Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers delivered one of the wildest sequences of the NLCS, a moment that left both dugouts stunned. In Game 1 of the Dodgers-Brewers showdown, Sal Frelick found himself at the center of an unprecedented double play, and still walked away frustrated. The Brewers’ double play, scored 8-6-2, was the kind of play that belongs in baseball trivia. Yet for Frelick, it was a mix of disbelief and irritation.
Early on, tension was building. As the ball caromed off the wall, Sal Frelick extended his arms in confusion, unsure whether it had been caught or not. Then came the chaos. In a flash, a throw to second and another to home turned into a stunning Brewers double play that froze the crowd at American Family Field. Moments later, crew chief James Hoye explained the situation to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who challenged the call. After review, both outs stood, silencing a potential Dodgers rally.
After the dust settled, Brewers manager Pat Murphy broke down the moment. “[Frelick is] mad that he didn’t make the catch,” Murphy said. “But if he did, the runner would have scored easily. So, it’s kind of one of those plays, unfortunate for the Dodgers that it happened.” Murphy’s words captured the bizarre nature of a play that flipped from near disaster into defensive brilliance.
Meanwhile, Brewers veteran hitter Christian Yelich offered perspective. “Just one of those weird, freak plays,” he said. “You just play it out. You don’t really know. That was huge. Once that happened, I thought, ‘It’s getting weird, we have a chance.’”
In baseball terms, history repeated itself. The last time fans saw an 8-6-2 double play was in 2004, when Ken Griffey Jr. pulled it off against the Cubs. For the Brewers, this version was about timing, instincts, and a touch of luck. Even though the Brewers fell 2–1, the play showcased their defensive edge and unshakable poise under playoff pressure.
As Frelick’s emotions cooled, one question lingered: can that spark, even in defeat, carry the Brewers deeper into the NLCS?
