Former Notre Dame player makes incredible line-drive catch in ALDS

Whatever team MLB fans cheer for, they all can agree that this year’s playoffs have been incredible so far. We haven’t even reached the LCS yet. And Notre Dame fans can say one of their own has contributed to that greatness.

Matt Vierling played three seasons for the Irish. Now in his fourth major-league season, he’s after a World Series ring. He had a chance at one with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2022, but they came up only two wins short. The following season, he was traded to the Detroit Tigers, one of many hot teams right now.

In Game 3 of the ALDS against the Cleveland Guardians, the Tigers had a 3-0 lead with two outs in the top of the seventh inning and runners on first and second. David Fry, who represented the tying run, hit a hard line drive to the left side of the field that was certain to go for extra bases and probably score both runners.

Vierling, who had driven in one of the Tigers’ runs via a sacrifice fly, was right there at third base though, and he timed his jump just enough that he took the hit away and got his team out of the inning.

The 3-0 score stood, and the Tigers are one win away from advancing to their first ALCS in 11 years. Hopefully, we see more from Vierling this postseason.

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Listen to Geoffrey’s World Series history podcast: “Then There Were Two: A History of the World Series”.