Atlanta Braves superstar Ronald Acuña Jr. continues to make history.
In the 10th inning of Wednesday night’s game against the Chicago Cubs, Acuña stole his 70th base of the season. Last week, the Braves outfielder hit his 40th home run of the season during a game against the Washington Nationals.
Acuña became the first player in MLB history to join the 40-70 club.
Moments after stealing the base, Acuña grabbed the bag as Braves fans gave him a standing ovation. The Braves also played a brief video montage on the big screen in the outfield.
Chicago Cubs announcers objected to the extended pause in play. Announcers Jon “Boog” Sciambi and Jim Deshaies said the decision to stop the game and recognize Acuña’s achievement was “absurd.”
“Are we really going to stop the game to do a highlight reel?” Sciambi said during the Marquee Sports Network broadcast.
Deshaies then questioned the need to remove the base during the game.
“Will we be able to get the base after the game? This is pretty absurd. I mean, it’s a big accomplishment, but…” Deshaies said.
Sciambi reiterated his frustrations with the editing of the video.
“Absolutely, but you can’t stop the game to make a highlight reel,” Sciambi said.
The Cubs are fighting for their postseason lives after missing the playoffs the last two seasons.
Shortly after Acuña reached second base safely, All-Star second baseman Ozzie Albies singled to give the Braves a second consecutive one-run victory over the Cubs. The loss dropped Chicago to 82-76, and the team is tied with the Marlins for third place in the NL wild card standings.
“It’s really an incredible moment,” Acuña told reporters after the game through an interpreter.
Acuña has hit 41 home runs this year. Alex Rodríguez had been the only player with 40 home runs to steal more than 46 bases in the same season. In 1998, Rodríguez had 42 home runs, 124 RBIs and 46 steals.
MLB added larger bases this season to bring more excitement to the game.
Acuña and Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts are widely considered the favorites for National League Most Valuable Player.
