JUPITER, Fla. – Braves rookie second baseman Jace Peterson turned a couple of slick defensive gems in the first inning, but the play everyone was talking about Saturday was a highly unusual double play by Joey Terdoslavich.
Terdoslavich was playing first base in the seventh inning. The Cardinals had runners on the corners – Yadier Molina at third, pinch-runner Dean Anna at first — and none out.
Kolten Wong hit a bouncer toward first base that was fielded by Terdoslavich, who ran across the diamond to tag Molina, who was hung up between home and third and tried to force a rundown to give Anna time to reach third. Instead, Terdoslavich tagged Molina not far from third base, then saw Anna approaching third and alertly raced over and dove to tag out Anna sliding toward the base.
It was a play – 3U double play, with two tags near third base — that no one in the pressbox or either dugout could ever recall seeing. And it was made by a guy not known for defense.
“Terdo made that play – I’ve never seen one guy get two outs on a rundown,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “That was weird – 3 (first baseman) unassisted double play? I like the effort we’re giving.”
Cardinals manager Mike Matheny had a bit of a different perspective, understandably so. He said Anna should have rounded second on his way to third, instead of going straight into second base, then gathering himself again and racing to third.
“That actually wasn’t as fantastic a play as it was a missed opportunity on the bases,” Matheny said. “We’ve got to be going hard and understanding that situation. A heads-up ballplayer has got to be thinking third as soon as that ball is hit. He’s got to be going. I think he (Anna) was more concerned for some reason that they may be going to second base, because he was going straight for the bag. But that probably cost him two steps and he was out by one.”
As for the game’s other defensive standout, Peterson has impressed since the start of spring training and is likely to be the Braves’ opening-day second baseman. Peterson had two of four hits allowed by Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright and raised his batting average to .351 (13-for-37), but it was a pair of plays he made in the first inning that gained the most notice.
First, Peterson used his bare hand to catch a toss from shortstop Andrelton Simmons and rifled a throw to first for 6-4-3 double play with speedy Jason Heyward running. Next up was Matt Holliday, who hit a hard grounder up the middle that Peterson dove to stop backhanded, then threw from his knees to first base for the third out.
“I’m really pleased with Peterson and his development as a second baseman,” Gonzalez said. “You feel comfortable he can play that position. And he got, what, two hits today? Two hits off Wainwright, he ain’t no slouch.”
