What unfolded at Citizens Bank Park in front of 39,262 people wasn’t exactly how Edmundo Sosa would have wanted things to play out. His baserunning turned a potentially game-changing hit into a missed opportunity, as he watched the ball instead of immediately sprinting to the next base. His double wasn’t enough to help the team level the game, and the mistake drew pointed criticism.

“That’s poor decision-making,” Ricky Bottalico said on NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Post Game Live. “As a matter of fact, you’re the hero on second base. You should have been the hero on third base.”

The Phillies entered the ninth inning trailing the Houston Astros 6-4. Bryson Stott led off with a single to left field. Sosa then entered as a pinch hitter, replacing Brandon Marsh. He hit a sinker from reliever Josh Hader, and it looked like it could be a home run. Sosa might have thought the same, as he appeared to be in no hurry to reach second base. Unfortunately, the ball didn’t clear the fence. That’s when the 30-year-old started running and reached second as Stott scored.

This is where the analyst argues that Sosa should have reached third base. Michael Barkann mentioned that Sosa wouldn’t even have needed to slide had he started running immediately after hitting the ball. The Phillies were still one run short, and Sosa eventually stole third later in the inning. If he had reached third on that play, he would have scored just a few pitches later, which would have been enough to at least force extra innings against the Astros. However, Philadelphia was unable to add any more runs and ultimately lost 6-5 on Tuesday.

“How many times have we said the fundamentals will catch up to you?” Bottalico asked. “They will come and slap you in the face every now and again if you continue to play poorly or you showboat like that one.”

Both analysts were unhappy with the way Sosa celebrated after his double, as if he had won the game for his team. The fact that he didn’t even realize how crucial that extra base was didn’t sit well with either host.

And this reminds us of a similar incident from a couple of weeks ago.

Milwaukee Brewers rookie Cooper Pratt wasn’t quick enough on the basepaths. He took a moment to see where the ball went instead of starting to run immediately. Manager Pat Murphy wasn’t willing to overlook the lack of hustle, either. He pulled Pratt immediately after the rookie reached first base.

Coming back to Sosa’s play, Don Mattingly was simply at a loss for words after witnessing back-to-back blunders.

Edmundo Sosa wasn’t the only guilty party

Back in the seventh, the Phillies were trailing 6-3 with no outs in the inning. Alec Bohm was on second after hitting a double, while Stott was on first after being hit by a pitch. Marsh then hit a double off AJ Blubaugh, allowing Bohm to score. When J.T. Realmuto stepped into the batter’s box, Marsh was on second and Stott was on third. It looked like the Phillies were on their way to erasing the two-run deficit.

But Realmuto’s line drive turned into a double play. What’s worse is that Marsh should have made it to third, and Stott could have scored, but he was tagged on second. 

“With no outs, it’s unacceptable for me to take a step towards third,” Marsh said postgame. “It’s a huge mistake by me. Really no excuse. Just a really bad play on my part. Gotta clean it up.”

“You know, I was taught freeze,” Mattingly said on how Marsh should have approached the line drive. “Just think too aggressive, thinking that’s going to get through and he’s going to score and we’re going to tie it up… But basically your principles should say freeze or go back.”

In that same inning, Stott had a chance to score during Marsh’s double, but he had to stop as he nearly crossed Bohm on the path. That would have awarded them an out instead of a run, but Mattingly thought it was a close call, and the ball was close enough to avoid that risk. 

But even he couldn’t defend Edmundo Sosa’s baserunning error. And the fact that it cost the Phillies the game hardly needs any justification. In baseball, people often remember the big hits. But more often than not, it’s the small things that matter—and sometimes, they can even cost you a game.