wild pitch

wild pitch

In baseball, a pitch that is too high, too low, or too far to either side for the catcher to control, thus allowing a runner to advance to another base. Otero's wild pitch allowed the Blue Jays' runner to make it up to third base, and the line drive by the next batter sent him home to earn a tie-breaking run.
See also: pitch, wild
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

wild pitch

A careless statement or action, as in Calling comic books great literature-that's a wild pitch. This term comes from baseball, where it signifies a pitched ball so far off target that the catcher misses it, enabling a base runner to advance. [Mid-1900s]
See also: pitch, wild
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
See also:
  • neighborhood play
  • squeeze play
  • hand over the baton
  • hand on the baton
  • baton
  • pass on the baton
  • pass the baton
  • drunk
  • pitch in
  • pull the string
References in periodicals archive
Edgeworth advanced to third with two outs before Moss stuck out, but reached first on the wild pitch that brought in Edgeworth.
This will enable him to react quickly on a wild pitch or a mishandling of the pitch by the catcher.
Porterfield stole third then scored on a wild pitch. Dawson then tripled, scoring Jayden Hawkins for Chicago's final run of the inning.
The Emeralds had two runners reach base on wild pitches following a strikeout, two others walked, one was hit by a pitch and another reached on an error as they sent 10 batters to the plate and left the bases loaded.
Alec Morrison walked the first three batters he faced and threw three wild pitches.
Eugene scored in the ninth without a hit after Gonzalez appeared to end the game with a strikeout, but reached base on a wild pitch. Chris Carrier was hit by a pitch and Zach Davis walked to load the bases.
Stainton sat last through the mile-and-a-half race and only started to creep closer inside the final three furlongs, but victory was assured inside the final furlong for Wild Pitch.
This accomplishes three things: It disguises the intention to bunt, it makes it easier to get out of the way of a wild pitch, and it enables the batter to fake the bunt and slash at the ball.
A wild pitch let Rahjon Williams to score Chicago's second run of the inning.
Magdaleno had replaced Bryant Aragon who struck out to open the inning but reached base after swinging at a wild pitch.
Jono Crimmin walked, advanced to second on Riley's groundout and took third on a wild pitch.
Stainton sat last through the mile-and-a-half contest and only started to creep closer inside the final three furlongs, but victory was assured inside the final furlong for Wild Pitch.
32 Anticipate a wild pitch on every ball thrown by the pitcher.
Nelson later scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-1.
Wilson scored on a wild pitch before Marcus Mastrobuoni hit a sacrifice fly that scored Pieters to put the Ems ahead 2-0.