Texas Rangers’ Rougned Odor, left, celebrates with Prince Fielder after scoring a run during the seventh inning in Game 5 of baseball’s American League Division Series against the Toronto Blue Jays, Wednesday… But not before a few late dramatics. A throw back to the mound by Blue Jays catcher Russell Martin caromed off the bat of the Rangers’ Shin-Soo Choo and allowed a run in.
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However, in the bottom of the seventh, after three Texas errors, the Jays tied the game on a Josh Donaldson looper and took the lead on a mammoth three run home run by Jose Bautista. He had three hits in Game 4 – an 8-4 Toronto win that forced the deciding fifth game – becoming the first Blue Jay to record three or more hits in one post-season game since Paul Molitor and Roberto Alomar did it in 1993.
Bautista said after the game he did not mean any disrespect by lifting the bat above his head and tossing it high in celebration, saying it was just in the heat of the moment as the Blue Jays set up an ALCS showdown with the Kansas City Royals. The series will begin on Friday.
“I told him Jose needs to calm that down, respect the game a little more”, Dyson said.
As disgruntled Toronto fans threw debris onto the field, the umpires allowed Odor’s run to stand, invoking Rule 6.03 (a): “A batter is out for illegal action when: He interferes with the catcher’s fielding or throwing by making any other movement that hinders the catcher’s play at home base”.
If the batter interferes with the catcher’s throw to retire a runner by stepping out of the batter’s box, interference shall be called on the batter under Official Baseball Rule 6.03(a)(3) (former OBR 6.06(c)).
Toronto manager John Gibbons argued with Scott and the play was eventually reviewed.
Things devolved further in the bottom half as the Rangers made three errors to load the bases with none out.
“Johnny Cueto was unbelievable”, Royals manager Ned Yost said. “After I made contact, I just, I didn’t plan anything that I did”.
“We keep putting him out there and I’m sure people expect him to fail and he doesn’t”. After a delay of 2 minutes, 32 seconds, the play stood and fans continued to throw objects on the field. Three (three!) Elvis Andrus misplays opened the floodgates for the Blue Jays. Three pitches later, slugger Jose Bautista uncorked a massive homer (and bat flip).
Bautista also hit an RBI double in the third inning Wednesday to account for four of Toronto’s six runs.
Benches cleared after Bautista’s homer, as Dyson took exception to Edwin Encarnacion’s hand gestures to the crowd before he entered the batter’s box.
Twenty police officers lined the outfield and many more were stationed down the lines during the delay.
Encarnacion and Chris Colabello both singled when play resumed, but the bat-around inning ended when Troy Tulowitzki fouled out.
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Toronto rallied in the 53-minute seventh for a 6-3 victory to advance to the Championship Series, but not before having to recoup after insane top half of the inning.
