Houston Astros manager A.J. Hinch (14) argues a call with home plate umpire Jim Joyce as catcher Jason Castro looks on after two runs scored on a wild pitch against the Cleveland Indians during the third inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 8, 2016, in Cleveland.
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The source of confusion came in the third inning, with the Indians leading 2-1 and Lonnie Chisenhall at the plate with two outs and the bases loaded.
Instead of going to get the ball and “playing to the whistle”, Houston Astros catcher Jason Castro chose to stand around and argue that the ball did, in fact, go off Lonnie’s bat. But home-plate umpire Jim Joyce apparently both missed the sound of the bat hitting the ball and failed to notice from the angle it ricocheted that it probably didn’t simply hit the ground. The play is not reviewable, but afterward Joyce sent Jose Ramirez back to second base – which really makes no sense whatsoever under the rules of baseball.
PHILLIES 4, NATIONALS 1 (at Washington) – Ryan Howard hit a three-run homer and, Alec Asher pitched six innings of two-hit ball coming off a suspension for Philly.
“I went to each crew member and asked them the same thing”, Joyce told a pool reporter after the game. “I thought it was a wild pitch, so I was running with the flow”.
Rookie Alex Bregman tied his career high with three RBIs, while Colby Rasmus and rookie Yuli Gurriel homered for the second straight game for the Astros, who went 3-4 on their road trip.
“I’m so happy I’ve got the first homer out of the way and I was able to drive home two runs with it”, Gurriel said through an interpreter.
In game interrupted by a 55-minute rain delay in the middle of the sixth, Carlos Santana hit a two-run homer – his 30th of the season. The Astros remain two games out of the final American League wild-card berth.
Carrasco improved to 3-1 in his last five outings on Friday after scattering six hits and striking out 11 in 7 1/3 scoreless innings of a 6-2 victory versus Miami.
For as good as Joyce’s reputation is within baseball, he’ll likely always be remembered for costing then-Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga a flawless game in 2010. Cody Allen, Cleveland’s fifth reliever, struck out two in a flawless ninth for his 26th save in 29 chances and second in as many nights.
Napoli pulled a pitch from Paulino that cleared the home run porch in left field and bounced onto the plaza located between the ballpark and Quicken Loans Arena. A fan ran after the foul ball, which traveled an estimated 464 feet.
Indians: RHP Danny Salazar takes the hill to begin a three-game series at Minnesota.
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Nova (12-6) pitched his second complete game in seven starts since being acquired from the Yankees in a trade on August 1.
