SI

A.J. Hinch Ejected After Controversial Call Confirmed by Replay in Extra Innings

Blake Silverman

Pham slides into home as Rogers works to get the tag down
Pham slides into home as Rogers works to get the tag down / Screengrab via SportsNet Pittsburgh
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The nightcap of the day-night doubleheader between the Detroit Tigers and Pittsburgh Pirates had it all Thursday.

The Tigers' mascot tried—and failed—to troll Pirates ace Paul Skenes. Pirates reliever Dennis Santana took a swipe at a fan from the dugout. And to finish the night, there was a rain delay in a tied game during the bottom of the ninth inning. When play resumed, the game went to extra innings and the Pirates scored the go-ahead run on a controversial call.

In the top of the 10th inning, Ke'Bryan Hayes hit a single to right as he pinch hit for Pirates first baseman Spencer Horwitz. Tommy Pham was on second and was waved home, which made for a bang-bang play at the plate. Tigers right fielder Kerry Carpenter threw a dart to home that catcher Jake Rogers gathered as Pham slid home.

Pham was called safe which gave the Pirates the lead, but Tigers manager A.J. Hinch challenged the call. Rogers's glove clearly was on top of Pham before his hands could touch the plate—the question was whether Rogers tagged him or if the tag went over Pham's arms before he touched home plate.

After review, the call stood and Pham remained safe with the go-ahead run staying on the board. Hinch quickly ran out of the dugout to argue the call and earned his first ejection of the season. You can watch the full sequence below:

And here's a couple screengrabs of the tag. The first appears to show Rogers get it down for an out at the plate, but the second—and the video review—looked to show the tag went just over Pham's arm.

The Pirates scored three more runs in the 10th inning and went on to win 8–4. The Tigers took the first game of their Thursday doubleheader 9–2.

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Blake Silverman
BLAKE SILVERMAN

Blake Silverman is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, he covered the WNBA, NBA, G League and college basketball for numerous sites, including Winsidr, SB Nation's Detroit Bad Boys and A10Talk. He graduated from Michigan State University before receiving a master's in sports journalism from St. Bonaventure University. Outside of work, he's probably binging the latest Netflix documentary, at a yoga studio or enjoying everything Detroit sports. A lifelong Michigander, he lives in suburban Detroit with his wife, young son and their personal petting zoo of two cats and a dog.

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