Watch: Rays beat Blue Jays after replay rules Jose Bautista slide illegal
Get breaking news and SI’s biggest stories instantly. Download the new Sports Illustrated app (iOS or Android) and personalize your experience by following your favorite teams and SI writers.
The Tampa Bay Rays earned a strange victory in the third game of their opening series against the Blue Jays on Tuesday night.
The Rays appeared to be headed into the bottom of the ninth trailing the Blue Jays after Edwin Encarnacion drove home two runs with the bases loaded to give Toronto a late lead. Encarnacion hit a grounder to third, but as the Rays attempted to turn a double play, second baseman Logan Forsythe’s throw to first was off line, allowing the tying and go-ahead runs to score.
But a replay review of Encarnacion’s grounder to third revealed Jose Bautista made an illegal slide into second base during the play, resulting in an automatic double play.
• CORCORAN: New ‘Chase Utley Rule’ passes first test on Opening Day
The runs, obviously, did not count, as the game ended on those two outs. You can watch video of Bautista’s slide below, where he clearly makes contact with the leg of the second baseman with his arm during the slide.
Here’s video of the entire play:
Bautista’s slide violated Rule 6.01—a.k.a. the Chase Utley rule—which says that a runner cannot interfere with a fielder at second base. Blue Jays manager John Gibbons was furious after the game.
The Rays’ win was their first of the season.
