Plays like this deserve a few swear words from the broadcast team, even if they didn’t actually say it.
In the top of the first inning of Monday night’s game between the Guardians and White Sox, Cleveland had a runner on second with two outs when Owen Miller flied a pop-up to right field. Chicago outfielder Gavin Sheets had to run in, but got a good jump on the ball and was in position to make the play.
Instead, the ball bounced right off his mitt and went past him for an egregious error. Steven Kwan rounded third and scored, and Bally Sports Great Lakes color commentator Rick Manning appeared to utter an obscenity as it happened.
“Are you s–tting me?” Manning appeared to exclaim as the ball came into the infield.
However, on a closer listen, it turns out to be a one-in-a-million auditory illusion. Manning’s broadcasting partner Tom Hamilton actually was saying the outfielder’s name – Sheets – at the same time Manning said “kidding.” So, it created the impression that he was saying something different – and more obscene.
Sheets did manage to make up for it in the bottom half of the inning, blasting a three-run homer to right field to put Chicago up, 4-1. The White Sox controlled the game for eight innings, taking an 8-2 lead into the ninth – but that’s where the misery hit a fever pitch for Chicago.
Andres Gimenez hit a solo home run to bring the lead to 8-3, and after a series of hits and errors, Josh Naylor walked up to the plate with the bases loaded, down four. He then deposited a grand slam over the fence to tie the game at 8. It the second time in the past week a team has blown a six-run lead, the first being the Phillies against the Mets on May 5.
Naylor then hit another homer in extras, and the Guardians pulled off a staggering 12-9 victory over a stunned White Sox team. Are you s–tting me?