Nationals Manager Dave Martinez Ejected After Controversial Interference Call on Trea Turner

Nationals manager Davey Martinez was ejected for arguing a controversial interference call against Washington Trea Turner while he was running to first base in the top of the seventh inning of Game 6 of the World Series on Tuesday.

Turner was called out after running into the arm of Yuli Gurriel on a close play at first base. The ball went past Gurriel on the play, and Washington would have had runners at second and third with nobody out had the umpires not intervened. 

Play then stopped for over four and a half minutes while the umpires were on the headset sorting out what happened with officials in New York. Martinez and the Nationals wanted to protest the game, which happens when a team believes a rule was misinterpreted. However, according to a report from SI's Tom Verducci during the broadcast in the bottom of the seventh, Washington could not protest the game because interference calls at first base are at the discretion of the umpire's judgment. Turner was out, and play resumed.

"The call was the fact that he interfered with Gurriel trying to catch the ball," MLB chief baseball officer Joe Torre said to Fox Sports reporter Ken Rosenthal after the game. "If interference is called, it's a judgment [call] so it's not reviewable."

Washington still scored in the seventh despite the controversial call. Third baseman Anthony Rendon blasted a two-run homer into the leftfield seats, giving the Nationals a 5–2 lead.

Martinez remained incensed with the call despite Rendon's homer, and between the top and bottom of the seventh, he charged out of the dugout and screamed at the umpires, which led to his ejection. Bench coach Chip Hale took over for Martinez as manager for the remainder of the game.

Washington won on Tuesday to force Game 7 on Wednesday. Max Scherzer is expected to start for the Nationals against Zack Greinke of the Astros. First pitch from Minute Maid Park is slated for 8:08 p.m. ET.