Marlon Byrd preserves Phillies no-hitter with great diving catch (Video)
By Dan Zinski
No one knew it at the time, but this diving catch in the third inning by Phillies outfielder Marlon Byrd was a no-hitter-saving play.
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Who ever could have guessed when Marlon Byrd sprawled out for this one that he was keeping intact a no-hitter that would survive through a shaky Cole Hamels performance and three relief pitchers?
At the time it was just a great diving grab to get Hamels out of trouble and keep the Braves from scoring.
Who ever could have guessed that the Braves would go on to get zero hits against the Phillies pitching staff?
It seems weird to say that Byrd preserved the no-hitter when the catch happened in the third inning but that’s the truth of the matter.
If Byrd doesn’t make this great grab, the no-hitter never takes place.
And that’s why you should pay close attention to every play in every game. You never know what play is going to matter in the grand scheme of things. That seemingly innocuous moment could actually be historic.
Or something. Whatever. Just drink your six-pack of beer and fall asleep. It’s a baseball game. You can catch the highlights on YouTube or read the tweets.