Controversial overturned call costs Twins in extra innings
The Minnesota Twins were on the wrong end of a controversial call on Sunday afternoon, as an overturned call led the Toronto Blue Jays to a 4-2 victory at Target Field.
The play came in the top of the 10th with the game tied at 2. With the go-ahead run on third base and one out, Cavan Biggio hit a fly ball to left field. Whit Merrifield tagged up from third base but Tim Beckham delivered a strike to Gary Sanchez who tagged out Merrifield to end the inning -- or so we thought.
The play went to review as a possible violation of MLB's collision rule. The rule states that unless the catcher is in possession of the ball, the catcher cannot block the pathway of the runner as he is attempting to score. Although Sanchez appeared to bend his left knee to give Merrifield a path to home plate, the call was overturned, sending Rocco Baldelli into a heated argument at home plate.
The play spoiled a come-from-behind effort for the Twins who fell behind early thanks to an RBI double from Bo Bichette and an RBI single from Lourdes Guerriel Jr. After Kevin Gausman tossed six shutout innings, the Twins finally broke through in the eighth when Jose Miranda delivered an RBI single to put Minnesota on the board.
With Toronto protecting a 2-1 lead, Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton made pinch-hitting appearances after not being in the starting lineup. Correa was hit by a Jason Romano fastball before Buxton struck out looking, but the tying run was on first base.
With Tim Beckham pinch-running for Correa, he advanced to third on a single from Gary Sanchez and Luis Arraez delivered a game-tying single to send the game to extra innings.
Although the Twins appeared to get out of the inning, they couldn't come up with the tying run and settled for a split in a potential playoff preview.
With the Cleveland Guardians' win over the Houston Astros, the Twins' lead in the American League Central is down to one game. The Twins will try to create some breathing room when they head to Los Angeles to open a two-game set with the Dodgers on Tuesday night.
