Bottom of the third, 30th May 2017, Braves at Angels, a day that will live in infamy. This might be the worst inning I’ve seen. Colon was actually pitching rather well, he got 10 ground balls in an inning and somehow didn’t finish it. Broadcasters sometimes say you can't give a team 4 outs without being punished. The Braves might have given the Angels 15 outs in a single inning. 5 innings worth of opportunity. All things considered they did well to only give up 9 runs. Grit your teeth and take a look.

1. Graterol soft ground ball single through shortstop. Dansby was slightly shifted towards 3rd and he only just missed making the play.

It’s subtle, not a mistake and is slightly frustrating.

0 runs, 0 outs, chance for 0 outs

2. Young Jr ground ball to short, force out at 2nd. This was a tough chance at a double play, but with a more crisp transfer by Peterson, it could have been made. He’s not the fastest when it comes to the 2nd base pivot.

It’s really close anyway, but he pauses before throwing to 1st. Let’s call it a chance rather than a mistake.

0 runs, 1 out, chance for 2 outs.

3. Calhoun ground ball to 2nd. Peterson manages to transfer the ball from field to glove, but fails to transfer from glove to hand.

This boots an easy double play and the inning should be over. 2 more outs lost.

0 runs, 1 out, chance for 4 outs

4. Pujols home run to left. Colon’s first bad pitch, middle-middle and gets smeared. Bertie batters Barto for 3 runs.

Give Pujols credit for spoiling a couple of good pitches before this.

3 runs, 1 out, chance for 4 outs

5. Valbuena single through 1st base.

He hits it hard, but Adams is playing back and doesn’t have much ground to cover here. He reacts late and dives over it. Not really a mistake, but not great range. It feels like this could have been made. Perhaps harsh, but I’m calling this a chance.

3 runs, 1 out, chance for 5 outs

6. Simmons ground ball to short. Swanson gets the bounce wrong and misses it.

This is at least an easy out at first, but it might also be a chance at a double play with a quick flip to second. Notice that Simmons has barely left the box at this point. To rub salt in the wound, Kemp reacts so slowly in left that Inciarte fields the ball before him and Simmons pinches 2nd base too.

3 runs, 1 out, chance for 7 outs

7. Revere ground ball to 1st base. Adams fields cleanly and has options for an out.

Notice here the ball is in Adams’ throwing hand. So many options, he makes a fielder’s choice to put the ball in his pocket.

God knows why this doesn’t count as an error. Ball is still in play here with a runner not safe. He didn’t even look at 1st base.

4 runs, 1 out, chance for 8 outs

8. Pennington ground ball to the pitcher. Colon fields cleanly and has options for at least one out.

A hard throw to 2nd could get a double play, again, the batter has barely left the box. The runner at first goes early, Colon does a quick dance, has a brain fart, slips, fails to make the throw home in time and gets nothing.

5 runs, 1 out, chance for 10 outs

9. Espinosa soft line drive single. No complaints here, the pitch is up and away and he helps himself to a base.

6 runs, 1 out, chance for 10 outs

10. Graterol ground ball to the pitcher. Colon goes for a tough double play with the runner going early (again), throws it in the dirt and gets nothing.

The double play was probably on with a good throw. Needless to say, there are easy outs at first and home.

7 runs, 1 out, chance for 12 outs

11. Young Jr bunt single to first base. He showed bunt the previous pitch and Adams seemed to do well getting to the ball quickly.

However, his throw is a little high and floaty, Peterson is a little late to the bag, takes it bare handed and the bang-bang play goes to Young.

Maybe harsh again, but a good play makes the out here, it’s a chance.

8 runs, 1 out, chance for 13 outs

12. Calhoun ground ball single through short.

The Braves shift fails again. Not a mistake or chance, but it is annoying. Additionally, with a slow runner on second, Kemp is slow to the ball.

Having jogged to the ball, he picks it up slowly and doesn’t attempt a throw home. Maybe it doesn’t matter, the game is lost. Colon is relieved, probably in several ways.

9 runs, 1 out, chance for 13 outs

13 & 14. Jackson comes in to mop up and gets two outs on a line drive after a base on balls.

END OF INNING

9 runs, 3 outs, chance for 15 outs

...sigh