On Sunday, the Los Angeles Dodgers turned a triple play against the San Diego Padres, but not without controversy as the home plate umpire appeared to call time before the Dodgers recorded the three outs.
It happened in the top of the ninth inning with Padres runners on first and second. Padres batter Jesus Guzman squared to bunt, and Dodgers pitcher Javy Guerra pitched it high and inside towards his head. Guzman tried to get out of the way, but the ball hit his bat and bounced in front of the plate. Home plate umpire Dale Scott held his arms up as if to call the play dead, but catcher A.J. Ellis played the ball and threw it to Juan Uribe at third base for the first out. As the Padres runners did not advance, thinking the umpire called the play dead, Uribe tossed it to shortstop Dee Gordon at second base for the second out, who tossed it to first baseman James Loney for the third out to complete the 2-5-6-3 triple play.
Padres manager Bud Black came out to argue the decision by the home plate umpire to let the play stand and was ejected.
The Dodgers scored the winning run in the bottom of the ninth to win the game 5-4, so the confusion caused by the home plate umpire may well have decided this game.
Video via Yahoo! Sports. H/T Big League Stew.
It happened in the top of the ninth inning with Padres runners on first and second. Padres batter Jesus Guzman squared to bunt, and Dodgers pitcher Javy Guerra pitched it high and inside towards his head. Guzman tried to get out of the way, but the ball hit his bat and bounced in front of the plate. Home plate umpire Dale Scott held his arms up as if to call the play dead, but catcher A.J. Ellis played the ball and threw it to Juan Uribe at third base for the first out. As the Padres runners did not advance, thinking the umpire called the play dead, Uribe tossed it to shortstop Dee Gordon at second base for the second out, who tossed it to first baseman James Loney for the third out to complete the 2-5-6-3 triple play.
Padres manager Bud Black came out to argue the decision by the home plate umpire to let the play stand and was ejected.
The Dodgers scored the winning run in the bottom of the ninth to win the game 5-4, so the confusion caused by the home plate umpire may well have decided this game.
Video via Yahoo! Sports. H/T Big League Stew.
Moonlighting as a blogger to pursue my interest and enjoyment of sports. Former high school and Division I athlete (now a "retired" family man) that loves watching and discussing all sports. Follow me on Twitter (@HoldoutSports) and like Holdout Sports on Facebook.
