The Red Sox held Cardinals rookie and pinch-runner Kolten Wong at first base in the ninth inning of Game 4, because he was a threat to steal second base, and, initially, because it helped to keep the double play alive and well as an option to secure the victory. They would inevitably pick Wong off to end the contest, but not before some second-guessing from announcers.

FOX's team of Joe Buck and Tim McCarver, to their credit, recognized that Wong's run didn't matter, in the sense that scoring a third run meant little for the Cardinals unless a fourth was right behind it. Their concern was with the gaping hole left for lefty Matt Carpenter on the right side of the infield, a hole that could score the speedy Wong if he had the appropriate jump. Boston was holding him in part to keep that from occurring, though, as if Wong couldn't take the lead he wanted to, his chances of scoring on a ball through said hole were lessened.

The Cardinals' radio play-by-play announcer had a more antagonistic take on things, though. That man, Mike Shannon, openly laughs at the Red Sox for holding Wong on at first, as can be heard in this video starting at 1:59:

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If you aren't in a place where you can listen, Shannon states:

The first baseman Napoli holds against the runner... why, I do not know [laughter]. Why would they be holding? [Continued laughter]. That's silly.

The next words out of Shannon's mouth were, "There's a throw over, and... he's picked off."

My favorite part of all of this might be Shannon's booth partner, John Rooney, quietly following up Shannon's "Unbelievable!" outburst of incredulous-ness with, "That's why they were holding." Couldn't have said it better myself, John.

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