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Why Pirates' Konnor Griffin was let down by bizarre Nationals slide ruling
TL;DR
Konnor Griffin of the Pittsburgh Pirates faced a controversial ruling during a play against the Washington Nationals, where he attempted to field a groundball and throw to first base. The runner at second was called safe, leading to confusion over the decision.
Key points
- Konnor Griffin fielded a groundball for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
- He attempted to throw to first base while the bases were loaded.
- The runner at second base was ruled safe.
Pittsburgh PiratesWashington Nationals
Why Pirates' Konnor Griffin was let down by bizarre Nationals slide ruling originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
This was one of the weirder plays you'll see in a while.
Konnor Griffin fielded a groundball while playing shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday with the bases loaded for the Washington Nationals. He decided to try to get to second base himself.
Griffin tucked his foot toward the bag, then spun and tried to throw to first.
The runner going to second was called safe.
Then Griffin's throw to first was super errant, and three runs ended up scoring on the play.
The Pirates challenged, but they lost, and it was really odd.
MORE:Bryan Woo was called for the weirdest balk as Mariners played Padres
What happened on Konnor Griffin play vs. Nats?
There were two elements that could've come to pass on the challenge.
The first is that, in super slow motion, it seemed that Griffin's foot may have gotten to the base before the runner, but apparently the review didn't determine that.
The second is that the sliding Nasim Nunez seemed to whack Griffin with his arm as he slid through the bag. Intentional or not, it's clearly what caused Griffin's throw to go awry.
Any sort of interference? Nothing called.
It felt like a play that the Pirates didn't deserve to have go totally against them, but it did.
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Q&A
What happened during Konnor Griffin's play against the Nationals?
Konnor Griffin fielded a groundball and attempted to throw to first base while the bases were loaded, but the runner at second was ruled safe.
Why was the slide ruling in the Nationals game considered bizarre?
The ruling was deemed bizarre due to the unusual circumstances of Griffin's play and the decision to call the runner safe despite the confusion.
What are the implications of the ruling for Konnor Griffin and the Pirates?
The ruling could impact Griffin's performance perception and the Pirates' game strategy, especially in high-pressure situations with bases loaded.
