Major League Baseball has officially negated the Atlanta Braves' protest following a controversial infield fly rule call on Friday in the National League wild-card game against the St. Louis Cardinals, per Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.

Heyman tweeted:

 

In the bottom of the eighth inning in Friday's game, Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons lofted a pop-up to shallow left field with one out and men on first and second. Cardinals shortstop Pete Kozma allowed the ball to drop in what appeared to be a case of poor communication with left fielder Matt Holliday. It would have allowed the Braves to load the bases with one out.

Except it didn't.

The umpires ruled that it fell under the infield fly rule's parameters.

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MLB's official rule states, via Bleacher Report:

While the umpires technically are within reason to call the rule under that circumstance, many people are debating it because it violates the very purpose of the rule: to protect the base runners. The rule is supposed to prevent an infielder from letting the ball fall on purpose in hopes of doubling up the runners.

So instead of loading the bases with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning on Friday, the Braves were left with men on first and second with two outs. They failed to score that inning and eventually lost, 6-3, as the reigning champion Cardinals advanced to the divisional series.

You can bet we'll see a catchy name attached to this, like "The Infield Fly Rule Game" or something. After all, since when has the infield fly rule been this controversial in such dire circumstances—or this historic?

 

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