The New York Yankees put on a defensive show Tuesday night in Baltimore—but not the kind you'd want to frame. Despite grinding out a four-run victory, the Bombers treated fans to one of the strangest innings you'll ever see on a baseball diamond.

It started with a routine ground ball. The baseball went from the third baseman's glove to the second baseman's glove to the first baseman's glove. Three fielders touched the ball. Zero outs were recorded.

Here's how it unfolded: Third baseman Ryan McMahon fielded the ball and fired to second base for what should have been a force out. The problem? Nobody was there to catch it. The throw sailed wide, right to a conveniently positioned Amed Rosario, who was playing deep in the shift. Rosario then tried to gun the ball to first base for the only out still possible, but by the time the throw arrived, the runner was safe.

The rhythm of the play was almost musical—glove, glove, glove—but the ending fell flat. And the culprit? Baseball's modern infield shift. With Rosario stationed far from the bag, shortstop Max Schuemann had to sprint to cover second base, a scramble that threw off the entire timing of the play. The result was a throwing error charged to McMahon.

There was a silver lining: Rosario's positioning actually saved the ball from rolling into the outfield, preventing further damage. But for a team with championship aspirations, this sequence is a wake-up call. The Yankees might want to pencil in some extra practice on shift coverage, because if Tuesday night proved anything, it's that even the best-laid defensive plans can go hilariously awry.