MLB playoffs 2019: Braves' Ronald Acuna Jr. criticized by teammates for not running out fly ball

Thomas Lott

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MLB playoffs 2019: Braves' Ronald Acuna Jr. criticized by teammates for not running out fly ball image

Ronald Acuna Jr.'s teammates aren't thrilled with him.

The 21-year-old outfielder failed to run out a fly ball he believed to be a home run during the Braves' 7-6 loss in Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the Cardinals on Thursday.

Acuna's fly ball bounced off the wall and because he didn't run the ball out it resulted in a single.

Teammate Ozzie Albies then grounded out to second which moved Acuna to second base, but had he run out the play he would have moved to third on Albies' groundout and Freddie Freeman would have had an opportunity to hit a sac fly to score a run.

Albies was critical of Acuna's actions after the game.

"It's a big deal," the second baseman told reporters. "He needs to do better."

Acuna was benched during the season for failing to run out a fly ball as well.

Freeman wasn't pleased after Thursday's game, but he didn't sound too motivated to discuss it again with the 21-year-old.

"It's frustrating, but I think you have that conversation once, it's become a dead horse, kind of beating a dead horse if you keep having that same conversation over and over again," Freeman said. "You've got to know that was a mistake, so that can't happen in the playoffs, can't happen in the regular season, (but) unfortunately that happened tonight."

Acuna and Freeman hit a two-run homer and solo shot, respectively, in the ninth inning to cut the lead to 7-6, but had Acuna been in position to score earlier in the game, Freeman's eventual homer would have tied the game.

"He should have been on second," manager Brian Snitker said after the game. "And we're kind of short-handed to do anything about it right there, you hate to see that happen."

Thomas Lott