Alex Verdugo Called Out On Questionable Call Late In Game 4 Vs. Rays
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Rays caught the worse of the MLB rule book in Game 3 against the Red Sox. On Monday night in Game 4, it was the Red Sox who caught some tough luck.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, with the score tied at 5-5, Alex Verdugo attempted to tag up and advance to third base on a deep fly to right-center. Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier made the catch and delivered a strike to third base.
The tag was applied on Verdugo, but not before he reached to the bag. However, third base umpire Dan Bellino called Verdugo out, indicating that he came off the base while the tag was still being applied.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora challenged the play, and replay didn't show Verdugo's gloved right hand coming off the bat.
Nevertheless, the folks in charge at MLB headquarters in New York ruled that there was no evidence of Verdugo's hand staying on the base. Thus, the call on the field was upheld, and the eighth inning ended for the Red Sox.
It was a questionable call, but it ended up being moot. Garrett Whitlock pitched a second straight scoreless inning of relief in the ninth, and the Red Sox walked it off with a sacrifice fly to win the game 6-5 and end the series.
