On a sunny afternoon at Wrigley Field, baseball fundamentals took center stage in a game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs. Masyn Winn, the Cardinals’ alert shortstop, turned an ordinary situation into an extraordinary highlight in the late innings.
With the game hanging in balance, Winn found himself on second base. What seemed like an innocuous moment quickly transformed into a game-changer when Cubs’ outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong lost track of outs. After a sac fly was hit, Crow-Armstrong caught the ball and casually began to jog back, under the assumption that the inning had ended. But Winn saw an opening.
Seizing the opportunity, Winn tagged up and sprinted towards third, and then, realizing Crow-Armstrong's mistake, made the bold decision to dash for home. The Cubs scrambled, but Winn's head start and speed allowed him to score easily, leaving the Wrigley crowd in stunned silence.
“I just reacted,” Winn said postgame, sporting a grin. “It's baseball. Sometimes you just have to take what they give you.” His run was pivotal in securing the Cardinals’ lead and, ultimately, their victory over their rivals.
Crow-Armstrong was visibly frustrated in the aftermath, acknowledging his mental lapse. “I should’ve been more aware, plain and simple. It’s a tough lesson learned,” he said.
The incident is a classic reminder of baseball's simple yet critical adage: Know how many outs there are. For the Cardinals and their fans, it was a moment to celebrate heads-up play and situational awareness — the kind of smarts that can turn a season around.
The two teams face off again tomorrow as the Cubs look for redemption and the Cardinals hope to capitalize on their momentum.
