Braves lose after ‘funny hop’ fools catcher Pierzynski

With one out in the bottom of the ninth, Nationals outfielder Michael Taylor hit a shallow fly ball to Braves center fielder Ender Inciarte. Jayson Werth tagged up at third and sprinted home as Inciarte delivered a throw that was on line and got to catcher A.J. Pierzynski in plenty of time.

But Pierzynski couldn’t snare the ball and Werth slid in safe tie the score. The Nationals had new life and went on to win 4-3 in extra innings.

“It just came up and it hit the dirt and took kind of a funny hop up,” Pierzynski said. “It’s one of those things where you are trying to catch it but you don’t want it to go through your legs so you are down. I knew I didn’t have it right away. I just didn’t know where the ball was.

“I was kind of hoping I could fool the umpire. He never got to the plate. Unfortunately it went through and it kind of squirted out.”