Baserunning reversal costs Braves: 'Just got confused'

ATLANTA -- Braves outfielder Eli White tried to explain what he was thinking when he returned to second base instead of advancing to third on an Ozzie Albies single in the ninth inning of a 2-1 loss to the Padres on Friday night at Truist Park.

“It’s just a terrible mistake in a huge situation,” White said. “It’s a tough one to swallow.”

White, who had entered as a pinch runner for Alex Verdugo, was on second base when Albies lined his single to shallow center field. It looked like the Braves would have runners on the corners. But as White neared third, he saw third-base coach Matt Tuiasosopo’s hands up and thought Jackson Merrill had caught the liner.

“I saw it go over the second baseman's head, and I thought it was low, which ended up being a good read,” White said. “I just didn't trust it for whatever reason. I just got confused.”

White was retired as he attempted to race back to second base, and the game ended one batter later with a Michael Harris II grounder.

“[Tuiasosopo] was down the line,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “If a third-base coach is down the line, that’s a sign that the runner needs to come around and pick him up.”

White said he didn’t realize his mistake until he was tagged out at second base.

“I thought [Merrill] overthrew second base on the throw in, and he was throwing it home,” White said. “So, I thought I was still trying to beat the force play to second base. I was just completely oblivious. It wasn't a lack of focus or anything. It was just a bad read and misjudgment on my part.”