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They Got The DP Anyway

The feed wasn't very good. And second-base umpire Ed Montague could have called an automatic double play because the Jays' baserunner, Lyle Overbay, seemed to be out of the baseline when he tried to take out shortstop Alex Cora.

But with the game tied at 3-3, one out and runners at first and third in the bottom of the eighth, the Sox still managed to get out of the inning on a double play because of Cora's terrific turn.

Cora, starting in place of Julio Lugo, reached high and to his left for the feed from pitcher Mike Timlin. Cora managed to tap his right foot on the bag as he came down and his momentum carried him toward the second-base side of the base.

Overbay slid into Cora as he was releasing the ball to first. The throw nailed the batter, Aaron Hill, by a whisker, at least in the eyes of first-base umpire Brian Knight, keeping it a tie game.

Montague could have called it an automatic DP because from where Overbay slid to get a piece of Cora, he wouldn't have been able to reach out and touch the base. Montague didn't see it that way, but it didn't matter.

-- Steven Krasner

Posted by Steven Krasner  at 3:03 PM | Permalink