Before a rain delay halted the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Miami Marlins on Thursday, an outfield miscommunication left Truist Park stunned. Thanks to the Marlins’ center fielder and his left fielder teammate colliding with each other, the Braves recorded an early two-run lead. Ronald Acuna Jr. was the beneficiary of the bizarre play during the series finale.

In his nine-year MLB career, Acuna Jr. has homered 27 times against the Miami Marlins. However, the latest one left him baffled for a minute before Acuna finally took his turn around the bases. During the third inning, Acuna sent a ball flying deep into left-center field in fair territory. Falling just short of landing in the stands, the long drive appeared ready to be caught near the wall with both Esteury Ruiz and Heriberto Hernández closing in. Until it didn’t. The ball bounced off their gloves into the stands. The umpire signaled it a home run, giving the Braves a 2-0 lead. Jomboy Media posted a video of the unusual play on X.

“Both outfielders collide on the warning track and pop the ball up and over the wall for a Ronald Acuña Jr. home run,” wrote the X handle.

The Marlins have rotated their outfielders this season. The Ruiz-Hernandez duo has recorded 5 errors between them. Early in the season, the Marlins have struggled with multiple defensive misplays, mostly in the infield. Per reports, they committed at least one error in 12 of their first 15 games.

Get the EssentiallySports Daily Newsletter. Stay ahead of the game with daily updates, exclusive stories, expert takes, and the biggest moments from the world's most popular sports.

The on-field blooper against Acuna helped him register his second home run in August after missing out in his last three games. Acuna is still finding his rhythm after the Braves activated him from the IL on July 27. Acuna missed more than a month of playing time due to his left hamstring strain. He suffered a left hamstring strain in May as well. As of now, he is hitting .244 in 63 games, with 11 homers and 27 RBIs for a .794 OPS this season.

On Thursday night, Ronald Acuna Jr. perhaps recorded the weirdest home run of his career off Janson Junk. It is almost up there with Carlos Martinez’s 1993 home run against the Texas Rangers. It bounced off Rangers outfielder Jose Canseco’s head and over the wall. Last month, Los Angeles Angels’ Jo Adell recreated Canseco’s moment when TJ Rumfield’s hit bounced off Adell’s glove and then his head for a home run. The list of wacky home runs is ever-increasing.

If anyone was wondering why the umpires ruled Acuna’s hit a home run, they were just following the MLB rules.

Esteury Ruiz and Heriberto Hernández accidentally sent Ronald Acuna Jr.’s fly ball into the stands as it popped off their gloves. Acuna stood waiting for the verdict on his 390-foot shot to the left-center field fly ball. However, the umpires deliberated among themselves before ruling it a homer.

The verdict follows Rule 5.05(a)(9) of the MLB’s guidelines. As per the rule, a batter is awarded a home run if a fair fly ball gets deflected over the fence in fair territory. The same thing happened in Acuna’s case, as the ball was in the air when the outfielders sent it over.

If the fly ball had bounced, then the umpire would have given Acuna ground-rule double.

While that was one play worth discussing, it was also the one that set the tone early, as the Braves dominated and won the game 11-3 at Truist Park.

Atlanta extended its winning streak to a season-high eight games, with another impressive pitching performance powering the team through the rain-delayed contest. Martín Pérez started for the Braves, while five relievers, including Víctor Mederos (2-0), followed him and combined to hold the opposition to seven hits. And just like that, they swept the Miami Marlins.