The World Baseball Classic saw a classic in Saturday’s contest between the Netherlands and Nicaragua.
The game-winning call at the end of that game was decidedly less classic.
Nicaragua led 3-1 in the bottom of the ninth and found themselves one out away from winning their first-ever WBC game. However, the Netherlands had hope with runners on 2nd and 3rd and Ozzie Albies at the plate. Sure enough, the Atlanta Braves’ second baseman launched the ball over the right-center field wall for a game-winning three-run blast that shocked fans at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida.
Paul Severino was on the call for Tubi and, unfortunately, he seemed to be confused about what the three-run blast actually meant.
“Albies! Deep drive, right-center field! Down to their last breath! The Kingdom of the Netherlands takes the lead!” said Severino.
That “lead” was, of course, pretty final, and Severino seemed to realize that a moment later as Netherlands players crowded the plate for Albies’s arrival.
Still, the mistake marred the moment for some watching at home.
Call blunder or not, it will still go down as a great moment in World Baseball Classic history.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.