Blue Jays manager John Gibbons argued and booing fans littered the field with drink containers.
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The Rangers had the go-ahead and potentially series-clinching run handed to them, the biggest gift you’ll ever see on a major league field, only to give it way over the course of three painful plays.
The benches emptied again after the inning finally ended.
Osuna turned toward the outfield after striking out Wil Venable, looked to the sky and was mobbed by his teammates as jubilant fans rocked the Rogers Centre.
Stroman got out of a jam in the second, stranding men on first and second with one out thanks to a strikeout and Martin gunning down Andrus trying to steal third. At first DeShields was sent back to third. “I was mixing up two rules and I called time but then it started clicking”, Scott said. Martin was given an error.
Many players on the field thought the play was dead. “It’s never happened in my life before”.
Dear baseball gods: We still have two more Game 5s and two more rounds of the postseason left!
Scott acknowledged making a mistake with his initial ruling. “Those dog days at Duke when it’s kind of tough to get through a workout with the knee pain, that’s what you kind of have in the back of your mind to keep you going”. Players gathered by the infield and a few went into the dugout to avoid getting pelted by garbage.
If the batter interferes with the catcher’s throw back to the pitcher by stepping out of the batter’s box while at bat (no runners attempting to advance), it shall not be considered interference under Official Baseball Rule 6.03(a)(3) (former OBR 6.06(c)).
Manager John Gibbons had said that Price couldn’t pitch today, but he opened the door a little in his comments yesterday. In part, the rule reads “Except in the cases stated in paragraphs (2) and (3)(A) of this rule, no umpire shall call “Time” while a play is in progress”.
The game was played almost 30 years to the day that the Jays played their last sudden-death game (Oct 16th, 1985, a loss to Kansas City).
No need for the paperwork, though.
Snow showers raise questions about whether the Blue Jays will, in fact, be able to host the first home-opener in franchise history.
After a force at home, Sam Dyson replaced Cole Hamels – good call there by Banister, as you needed a right-hander to face Josh Donaldson, even if Hamels wasn’t in trouble of his own accord – and Josh Donaldson hit a short pop fly to second base. Three pitches later, slugger Jose Bautista uncorked a massive homer (and bat flip).
The drama didn’t stop at the home run. “If anybody can rise to the occasion, it would be him”.
Dyson took umbrage, jawing at Edwin Encarnacion, who was next up.
“I watch him throw”. He got help in the sixth with a slick fielding play from second baseman Goins to end the inning. The game was delayed again as the benches cleared after the home run.
All of the craziness started in the seventh inning, with the game tied 2-2 and the Rangers’ Rougned Odor on third.
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Toronto cut the deficit in half in the third on Bautista’s two-out double.
