Marlins Outfielders Turn Acuña Jr. Fly Ball Into 2-Run Homer in 11-3 Loss

Q: What obscure MLB rule turned a routine outfield collision into one of Ronald Acuña Jr.'s most bizarre career home runs?

It was MLB Rule 5.05(a)(9), which says a batter is awarded a home run when a fair fly ball is deflected over the outfield fence in fair territory while still in the air. That obscure rule is what applied to Ronald Acuña Jr.’s drive. The ball had not hit the ground or the wall before Marlins outfielders Esteury Ruiz and Heriberto Hernández collided and got their gloves on it. Because their touch sent the live fair fly over the fence, the umpires correctly ruled it a two-run homer. The distinction matters. If the ball had bounced first and then gone over the fence after the misplay, it would not have been a home run; it would have been ruled a ground-rule double. That is why the timing of the deflection — while the ball was still airborne — turned what looked like a routine out into one of the strangest home runs of Acuña’s career. In short, the collision itself did not create the call. The decisive factor was the rule covering an airborne fair ball deflected over the fence by a fielder.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 7

Two Miami outfielders collided on the warning track in the third inning, knocking Ronald Acuña Jr.’s deep fly over the wall for a two-run Atlanta homer.
Esteury Ruiz said both he and Heriberto Hernández called for the ball but could not hear each other over the crowd, turning a catchable drive off Janson Junk’s 79-mph sweeper into a home run.
Acuña initially paused at first, unsure the ball had cleared the fence, then later added a conventional solo homer in the eighth as the Braves beat the Marlins 11-3.
Atlanta’s win was its season-high eighth straight and pushed the Braves to 70-45 with an 8 1/2-game lead in the NL East.

Sources

Fox News16d ago

Marlins Outfielders Collide, Turn Acuña Jr. Fly Ball into Home Run

USA TODAY17d ago

Acuna Jr. Hits 10th Homer After Marlins Outfielders Deflect Ball Over Fence

theScore16d ago

Acuña hits 2 homers to help Braves sweep Marlins, bring | theScore

11 Sources

Will Acuña’s explosive multi-homer performance post-injury be the exact spark that guarantees Atlanta's continued dominance in the National League East?

What obscure MLB rule turned a routine outfield collision into one of Ronald Acuña Jr.'s most bizarre career home runs?

How is Atlanta's pitching staff fueling a massive eight-game winning streak without adding a top starter at the trade deadline?