Brewers turn potential grand slam by Dodgers slugger Max Muncy into wild double play in NLCS

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Max Muncy was inches away from hitting a grand slam for the Los Angeles Dodgers to open the scoring in the National League Championship Series.

Little did he know his 404-foot drive instead would end the top of the fourth inning Monday night in one of the most incredible plays of this or any postseason.

“It’s definitely the worst fielder’s choice/double play I’ve ever hit in my life,” Muncy said after the Dodgers’ 2-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 1.

Here's how Muncy's potential grand slam turned into an unusual 8-6-2 double play:

With the bases loaded and one out, Muncy hit a long drive to center field, where Sal Frelick jumped and reached over the wall in an attempt to make the catch.

The ball popped out of Frelick’s glove and hit the top of the fence before Frelick caught it in the air. Muncy wasn't ruled out because the ball hit the wall — but the Dodgers' runners scrambled back to their bases thinking the ball was caught on a fly.

“I didn't see it hit the wall,” said Will Smith, who was on second base. “I just thought he kind of brought it back in and caught it."

Frelick fired to shortstop Joey Ortiz, who quickly relayed a strike to catcher William Contreras. Aware a force was still in effect, Contreras alertly stretched for the throw with his right foot on home plate, rather than position himself for a tag that would have been necessary if the ball hadn't hit the wall.

Contreras caught the ball before Teoscar Hernández slid across the plate, forcing out Hernández after he had hesitated at third base.

“Teo knows the rule. I think right there he had just a little bit of a brain fart, appreciating that when it does hit the glove, you can tag (up) there," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "But then he tagged, did it correctly, then saw he didn’t catch it, (and) he went back. That was the mistake. But he owned it. And after that, there’s nothing else you can do about it.”

After the forceout at home plate, Contreras smartly got up and jogged to third to force out Smith, too.

Smith had gone back to second when he thought Frelick made a clean catch.

“From home plate, I had a pretty good view of it,” Contreras said through an interpreter. “I could tell pretty much right away it hit off the wall. Right away once it hits off the wall, you know that ball is played live. Tremendous job by the guys there just doing what we needed to do to finish that play off.”

As all of it was developing, Frelick had his arms out with a quizzical look on his face, wondering what exactly had just happened — not unlike many fans.

The Dodgers challenged the call, but a replay review confirmed the forceouts at home and third for a most unusual inning-ending 8-6-2 double play.

Umpires called it correctly in real time all the way through the play.

“Honestly, I didn't know they ruled it a no-catch,” Roberts said. “I just wanted clarity on the whole situation. And then kind of making sure that they got a couple of forceouts, which they did. And ultimately, those guys and replay, the guys on the field got it right. They nailed it.”

At 404 feet, it was the second-longest projected distance on a batted ball resulting in a double play since Statcast tracking began in 2015 — regular-season games included. For Muncy, it goes down as a grounded-into-double play, even though the ball didn't touch the ground.

There had not been an 8-6-2 double play in the postseason over the last 35 years, the Elias Sports Bureau said. Those type of official scoring details are not always clear in records going back any further.

The most recent 8-6-2 double play in the regular season involved a ball hit by Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa to Cincinnati center fielder Ken Griffey Jr. in April 2004 — though that one ended with a tag at the plate.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Los Angeles Dodgers' Teoscar Hernández is forced out at home by Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras during the fourth inning in Game 1 of baseball's National League Championship Series, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts argues with umpire James Hoys during the fourth inning in Game 1 of baseball's National League Championship Series, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Teoscar Hernández is out at home as Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras takes the throw during the fourth inning of Game 1 of baseball's National League Championship Series Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Teoscar Hernández is out at home as Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras takes the throw during the fourth inning of Game 1 of baseball's National League Championship Series Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Tommy Edman reacts after a triple play during the fourth inning of Game 1 of baseball's National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Teoscar Hernández is out at home as Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras takes the throw during the fourth inning of Game 1 of baseball's National League Championship Series Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks closed at another record on Wall Street Tuesday following a surprisingly strong report on economic growth over the summer.

The U.S. government's first assessment of economic growth during the third quarter also showed that inflation remains high. A separate report showed that consumer confidence continued fading in December. All of it added to a complicated picture of the economy.

The latest record for the S&P 500 came even as most stocks within the benchmark index lost ground. Technology stocks, which have been main force pushing major indexes to records all year, once again were able to counter weakness elsewhere in the market.

The S&P 500 rose 31.30 points, or 0.5%, to 6,909.79, surpassing the record set earlier in December. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 79.73 points, or 0.2%, to 48,442.41. The Nasdaq composite rose 133.02 points, or 0.6%, to 23,561.84.

Nvidia jumped 3% and was biggest force helping to push the market higher. It is among several big tech companies with outsized valuations that tend to have more impact on the broader market’s direction. Google's parent company, Alphabet, rose 1.5%.

Novo Nordisk jumped 7.3% after U.S. regulators approved a pill version of the blockbuster weight-loss drug Wegovy, the first daily oral medication to treat obesity.

Wall Street received the latest economic updates during an otherwise quiet holiday-shortened week. Markets in the U.S. will close early Wednesday for Christmas Eve and remain closed for Christmas on Thursday.

The U.S. economy grew at a 4.3% annual rate during the third quarter. That builds on 3.8% growth during the second quarter and marks a sharp turnaround from the first quarter, when the U.S. economy shrank for the first time in three years.

The latest report also showed that stubborn inflation continues to hover over the economy. The Federal Reserve’s favored inflation gauge — called the personal consumption expenditures index, or PCE — climbed to a 2.8% annual pace last quarter, up from 2.1% in the second quarter.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.16% from 4.15% just before the report on gross domestic product for the third quarter was released. The yield on the two-year Treasury, which more closely tracks expectations for Fed actions, rose to 3.53% from 3.49% just prior to the report’s release.

The Fed has been taking a more cautious policy approach amid mixed signals from the economy. Economic growth has been occurring at the same time that inflation remains stubbornly above the central bank's 2% target. The job market is also slowing, adding another layer of concern to whether the central bank should continue cutting interest rates.

On Wednesday, the Labor Department will release its weekly data on applications for jobless benefits, which stands as a proxy for U.S. layoffs.

“The Fed has been balancing off inflation risks versus weakening labor markets and today’s report further complicates their dilemma,” wrote Dominic Pappalardo, chief multi-asset strategist at Morningstar Wealth, in a note to investors.

The Fed has cut interest rates three times in 2025 and the central bank's rate-setting committee is divided about additional rate cuts in 2026. The committee members, at their last meeting, projected a wide range of possibilities from holding rates steady to two or more reductions.

Wall Street expects the Fed to hold rates steady at its upcoming meeting in January.

Consumer spending and confidence has been shaky amid worries about high prices, especially with a wide-ranging U.S. trade war that could drive prices for many goods even higher.

The latest update from business group The Conference Board showed that consumer confidence fell in December to its lowest level since tariffs were rolled out in April. Meanwhile, retail sales have been weakening, with consumers growing more cautious.

Consumers have become more targeted in their buying during the holiday shopping season, according to Visa's Consulting and Analytics division. From Nov. 1 through Sunday, cash and credit card sales rose 4.2%, which is less than the 4.8% increase during the same period a year ago.

Markets were mixed in Asia and Europe.

The price of gold continued rising. It rose 0.8% to $4,505.70 per ounce Tuesday and is up about 70% for the year.

Oil prices were relatively stable after jumping a day prior. U.S. benchmark crude rose 0.6% to $58.38 per barrel. The price of Brent crude, the international standard, rose 0.5% to $62.38 a barrel.

Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed to this report.

Anthony Matesic works on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Trader Jonathan Mueller works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Trader William Lawrence works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Walmart is displayed on the facade of the Nasdaq MarketSite, in New York, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

A dealer works near the screens showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), left, and the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollar and South Korean won at a dealing room of Hana Bank in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

A person walks in front of an electronic stock board showing the market indexes of Shanghai, Tokyo and New York Dow at a securities firm Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

A dealer watches computer monitors at a dealing room of Hana Bank in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)