Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez committed a significant error in the eighth inning of Tuesday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers, misjudging the number of outs and tossing the ball into the stands. This lapse contributed to the Mariners' historic 22-0 loss, the worst defeat in the franchise's history.
The incident occurred with the Mariners already trailing the Brewers 19-0. Christian Yelich hit a routine fly ball to Rodriguez, who appeared to think it was the third out of the inning. After making the catch, Rodriguez threw the ball beyond the outfield wall to fans. However, it was only the second out, and with the bases loaded, two Brewers runners advanced to score on the play.
This defensive miscue came as the Mariners surrendered nine runs in the eighth inning. Third baseman Leo Rivas, who pitched as an emergency reliever in the inning, gave up nine hits and nine runs. Overall, the Mariners' 22-0 defeat marked a new franchise low.
Rodriguez's performance at the plate was also unproductive. He went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts against the Brewers. The game was a difficult one for the young star and his team, who were unable to mount any offensive threat against Milwaukee.
Earlier in the game, St. Louis Cardinals rookie Joshua Baez hit a home run on the first pitch of his major league career, a 450-foot shot, in a separate game.