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Bellinger explains what happened on insane, game-deciding throwing error

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Some things are hard to explain. Cody Bellinger’s baffling error in the eight inning of Tuesday’s Giants win certainly qualifies.

With runners on first and second and no outs, Darin Ruf hit a check-swing bouncer over the mound that ended up in the glove of second basemen Max Muncy. As Muncy ran towards Mike Yastrzemski for the tag, he instead threw to Bellinger at first to get the force out, and presumably get Yaz in a rundown.

Bellinger had other plans. Trying to fool Buster Posey, who had made it to third base by this point, Bellinger pump-faked to second, and then threw a ball that looked to sail about 15 feet over the head of the third baseman, allowing Posey to score easily, giving the Giants a 2-1 lead they would not relinquish.

So, what on Earth happened? Bellinger tried to explain postgame.

“I pump-faked at second to try to get Posey off the base and when I looked, I saw him off the base enough that a good throw gets him,” Bellinger told reporters after the game. “I absolutely just threw it, it just slipped out of my hands. There’s no excuses. I just threw it too high.”

“I think a good throw gets him still. I have to go back and watch it, but when I saw him turn, he had his momentum towards home, so I think a good throw — JT was right there — so I think a good throw gets him. Obviously, there’s the safe play and letting Blake try to get out of that inning because he’s got nasty stuff. So, I don’t know.”