The Phillies’ season came to an end on one frantic play. Tied 1–1 in the bottom of the 11th, with the Dodgers threatening and two outs, rookie reliever Orion Kerkering fielded what should have been an inning-ending chopper right back to the mound — and then lost all sense of gravity. After briefly booting the ball, he panicked, forgetting the easy toss to first and air-mailing a throw over his catcher’s head as Hyeseong Kim crossed the plate with the winning run. The Dodgers walked off, the crowd roared, and Kerkering stood frozen in disbelief, a young pitcher’s dream night suddenly rewritten as a nightmare.
*** Now chatting in #NLDSGame4 ***
JTRealDeal: ok kid, deep breath
bases loaded, two outs
one grounder and we go to the 12th
HarperHustle: yeah just throw strikes, big O
they’re pressing
you got this
*** OrionBelted has entered the chat ***
OrionBelted: i got this
one pitch, one out
we live to fight another inning
*** TurnThePages has entered the chat ***
TurnThePages: here we go
/swings
chopper… right back to the mound
OrionBelted: oh
ok ok ball’s right here
i just gotta—
where’d it go
OH NO IT’S UNDER MY FOOT
JTRealDeal: first base
throw to first
FIRST
FIRST BASE ORION
HarperHustle: bro i’m literally waving
JUST THROW IT TO ME BRO
what are you—
the_ball: THROW ME TO FIRST MAN
OrionBelted: too late.
i panicked.
i threw it.
the_ball: oh no.
oh no oh no oh no oh no—
where am i going
*** the_ball has been launched over JTRealDeal's head ***
KimPossible: INCOMING
/slides home
SAFE
Dodgers win baby!
*** DodgerFan999 has entered the chat ***
DodgerFan999: walk it off
that’s how we do it in hollywood
orion just filmed a disaster movie
JTRealDeal: …
i don’t even know what to say
that’s the one play every kid practices at tee ball
HarperHustle: hey he’s young
we’ve all thrown one away
just not, uh, in the postseason
on national tv
with two outs
*** PhilliePhanatic has entered the chat ***
/Phanatic stares blankly into middle distance
/Phanatic’s horn slowly deflates
/Phanatic removes tiny rally towel hat
/Phanatic hugs a trash can
*** HEY GUYS THIS IS JI
*** JIM THOME has entered the chat ***
WORDUPTHOME: HEY GUYS THIS IS JI
JIM THOME
TOUGH BREAK, KID
BUT REMEMBER
EVEN ORION’S BELT HAS THREE STARS
YOU’RE STILL ONE OF ‘EM
OLD JIMBO BELIEVES IN YOU
OrionBelted: thanks jim
right now i feel more like a black hole
WORDUPTHOME: THAT’S HOW CHAMPIONS ARE FORMED
PRESSURE. DARKNESS. AND A LITTLE BIT OF PANIC.
*** MLB_NewsBot has entered the chat ***
MLB_NewsBot: FINAL: Dodgers 2, Phillies 1 (11 innings).
Kerkering’s throwing error on a chopper to the mound allows the winning run to score.
Jim Thome later compares him to a constellation. Philly fans call it “a meltdown you can see from space.”
*** OrionBelted has left to find the ball ***
*** JTRealDeal has left to explain basic fielding mechanics ***
*** HarperHustle has left to write a slam poem about chaos and leather ***
*** PhilliePhanatic has left to silently mime grief ***
*** WORDUPTHOME has left to chart “Orion’s Path to Redemption” ***