The Boston Red Sox benefited from an obscure rule to score their only run in a 2-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays.
Boston had runners on the corners with one out in the seventh. Ceddanne Rafaela lifted a fly ball to center field. But due to a scoreboard error, both Nick Sogard and Anthony Seigler assumed there were two outs.
Seigler told MassLive’s Chris Cotillo that third base coach Chad Epperson told them there was one out. But then assumed two outs when the scoreboard showed two outs. The Red Sox second baseman called his mistake “unacceptable.”
Neither runner tagged up, and Sogard was doubled off first base. But because it was a timing play, not a force, Seigler was credited with a run scored after a challenge. Rafaela was credited with a sacrifice fly and an RBI.
As for the scoreboard, Cotillo was informed by multiple Blue Jays officials that MLB controls the scoreboard, not the home team. That was a rule change that started this season. As video was captured, the number of outs shifted from one to two mid-play.
Umpiring Crew Explains Call that Led to Red Sox Run
GettyCrew chief Chris Guccione. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The Red Sox were pretty lucky that the Blue Jays did not have the presence of mind to appeal after the play. After doubling off Nick Sogard at first, that became the official third out of the inning. But had they appealed to third base, the run would have been wiped from the board.
Chris Guccione, the crew chief of the umpiring crew for the game, explained the scoring decision to Cotillo.
“In this situation, we had one out. Fly ball to the center fielder. Both Boston runners, thinking there were two outs, just took off. When the second out was made, now we have two runners that have failed to return and tag up correctly. At that time, the guy from third had crossed home plate and the guy at first was standing at second. Toronto knew that he hadn’t tagged up and threw to first base to make the third out.
“Well, that’s a time play, meaning it’s not a force play. If it’s a force play, the run does not score automatically. If it’s a time play, meaning ‘Was the out made before or after the runner crossed home plate?’ In this case, being a time play, the runner crossed (home) before the out was made. In this case, it’s what you call ‘an apparent fourth out.’ In order for the run not to score, Toronto would have had to make an appeal at third base before the infielders left the infield. Once they left the infield, at that point, the run scores.”
What Guccione is referring to is the obscure fourth-out rule. Had Toronto appealed to third, since Anthony Seigler failed to tag up, that out would have superseded the out at first base. Had he properly tagged up, he would have scored anyway.
The Red Sox almost made Toronto pay for their mistake in letting that run score. After a leadoff double by Jarren Duran in the ninth, Boston had the tying run in scoring position. Ultimately, they came up a bit short and suffered their third straight loss.
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