I’m going to have some empathy this morning because, although the Cardinals were already an extreme long-shot to make the postseason, it’s gotta be brutal to see the final out of your playoff hopes recorded on a would-be-game-tying home run, robbed at the wall by your arch rival, in your park, in the 11th inning, in a game that was otherwise utterly meaningless to them.
I mean, ouch. Just ouch.
But hey, from a Cubs fan perspective, this play was all kinds of awesome:
–30– pic.twitter.com/W25FuKv9tJ
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) September 29, 2017
Per Statcast, a ball hit like that is a home run 7 out of 10 times. If Martin doesn’t catch it, the game is tied, and perhaps the Cardinals go on to win it that inning, or later on in the game.
But Martin did catch it, and the Cardinals had to watch again in stunned silence as the Cubs celebrated on their field.
Cubs win 2-1 in 11, and the Cardinals’ playoff hopes are over.