The NLDS Game 1 between the Brewers and Padres started with a bang, but not the good kind for San Diego. Padres first baseman Ty France smacked what looked like a sure-fire, go-ahead home run in the top of the ninth inning, only for it to be ruled an out after hitting a cable on the roof of American Family Field. This wild play, which initially seemed to give San Diego the lead in a 3-2 game with a runner on, instead dropped straight into the glove of Brewers left fielder Jackson Chourio, cementing a devastating out for the Padres.
That Crushing Moment When Hope Died
Picture it: top of the ninth, 3-2 game, runner on, and France connects. Everyone thought it was gone, a monster shot that would swing the game in the Padres’ favor heading into the bottom of the ninth. But then, disaster. That ball absolutely smashed into a roof cable, totally killing its momentum. It just plummeted back down into play, right into Chourio’s waiting glove. The Padres challenged, but after review, the call stood: out. It was a brutal break, watching a potential game-winning blast turn into a deflating out. That’s the kind of moment that makes you want to throw your remote.
The Rulebook Says It Was The Right Call, But Man It Hurts
Here’s the kicker: as tough as it was, the umpires got this call spot on. MLB rules actually defer to each ballpark’s specific ground rules for these kinds of situations, and at American Family Field, the rules are pretty clear. If a batted ball hits the roof, a roof truss, or a roof cable over *fair territory*, it’s still considered in play. If a fielder then catches it, the batter is out. If it hits over *foul territory*, then it’s a dead ball. The umpires reviewed it and confirmed the ball hit the roof cable in fair territory, meaning Chourio’s catch was legitimately an out. Padres manager Craig Stammen even joked about it with umpires before the game, saying they talked about “what would happen if the ball hit the roof.” He acknowledged the rule, saying, “Unfortunately a bad break for us. Looked like it was a possible home run. Just didn’t go our way.”
What’s even wilder? Even if that ball hadn’t smacked the roof, it probably wouldn’t have been a homer anywhere else. Reports indicate the only stadium it would have cleared in was Houston’s Daikin Park. So yeah, a bad break, but maybe not the game-winner it looked like at first.
This kind of bizarre play can be a real gut punch. Stammen’s looking forward, though, saying the Padres “should be able to bounce back just fine from it.” They’ll have to shake this one off fast.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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