It’s counterintuitive to stand in front of a pitch thrown by a big league pitcher and purposely get hit. However, that’s precisely what throngs of Brewers fans think Brice Turang should have done Monday night.
With the bases loaded and the tying run on third in the bottom of the ninth inning, Turang, who was at bat, moved out of the way of a 1-2 breaking pitch that, had it hit him, would have put him on first base and walked in the tying run.
Instead, Turang moved out of the way of the 1-2 pitch, and on the 2-2, Turang swung and missed, sealing the Dodgers’ Game 1 victory in the NLCS.
Many online were enraged that Turang didn’t let himself get hit by the pitch. Especially, since it was a breaking pitch in the mid-80s and not a fastball in the mid-to-high 90s.
“If you’re Turang, HOW do you NOT let that pitch hit you?!? It wasn’t being towards your head,” observed one X user.
“Brice Turang had a golden chance to tie it up… then let it slip,” wrote another.
“Brice Turang evaded getting hit by a pitch that would have tied the game to strike out on a pitch a foot above his eyes, I would be sick if I was a brewers fan,” another observed.
“Today’s players just don’t use common sense,” said another.
Turang was asked about his decision to move out of the way of the pitch after the game.
“Well, if you see me look in the dugout, I’m thinking, ‘Damn,'” Turang said. “I know it. Everybody knows it. I couldn’t tell you why I did it. I just got out of the way. That’s just how it is.”
Game 2 will take place on Tuesday in Milwaukee at 8:08 EST.