VIDEO: Polanco's embarrassing fall sends Cubs to walk-off victory

Gregory Polanco will never struggle to recall the most embarrassing moment of his baseball career when asked about it decades from now - not after Friday afternoon in Chicago.

It was his cringeworthy misstep in the bottom of the 12th inning, after all, that sent the Chicago Cubs to an 11-10 victory over his Pittsburgh Pirates in Friday's matinee and reduced the 23-year-old to a laughingstock at Wrigley Field.

"[This game] is going to humble you," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said afterwards. "You've got to keep playing, play through it. You learn from experiences that come with it. And I believe he will.

(Courtesy: MLB.com)

Only two innings earlier, incidentally, Polanco earned praise for his strong throw from right field that nailed Starlin Castro at the plate as he attempted to score on a fly ball from Matt Szczur that would've sent the Cubs to victory.

Polanco's most memorable contribution - or forgettable, depending on who you ask - came on another seemingly harmless fly ball off Szczur's bat with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 12th.

"It looked to me like he got to the ball without a problem. He didn't have far to go," Hurdle said. "Then he made a little move to his left, crossed his feet and it took him out of the play, down to the ground."