Post by Fish Troll on Apr 29, 2007 17:05:23 GMT -5
CLEVELAND -- A retroactive scoring change that went against the Indians and caused manager Eric Wedge to file a protest was the overriding story in Cleveland's 7-4 loss to Baltimore on Saturday night at Jacobs Field.
The defeat snapped the Indians' six-game winning streak.
Ultimately, the game was decided in the top of the eighth inning when Aaron Fultz gave up a two-run, two-out double to Corey Patterson that put the Orioles ahead, 5-4.
But the night will be long remembered, however, for its bizarre third-inning drama.
The trouble began in the top of the third inning with the Orioles ahead 2-1, one out and runners on first and third. Ramon Hernandez then drove a liner into center field that a diving Grady Sizemore snagged.
Figuring the ball was out of Sizemore's range, Nick Markakis on third and Miguel Tejada on first ran on contact. When Sizemore caught the ball, Markakis went back to third and tagged up before again heading home. Tejada was slower to react and Sizemore ended the inning by nailing him at first.
The problem was that the play wasn't a force situation, but rather a timing play. And Markakis had clearly passed home plate by the time Sizemore's throw reached first base.
Initially, there was little controversy. Neither Markakis nor O's manager Sam Perlozzo argued the play.
It was not until after the third inning that Perlozzo came out to speak with crew chief Ed Montague. An inning later, the umpires met with Wedge to discuss the situation. These between-inning meetings continued until the bottom of the sixth inning, when Montague called the official scorer with the scoring change.
With the game then even at 2, Markakis' run was retroactively added and the Orioles took a 3-2 lead. Wedge, who never appeared to lose his cool during this whole ordeal, filed a protest immediately as the scoreboard was changed.
Thankfully for the umpires, the fans had little time to notice the change as Jhonny Peralta shot a two-run homer into the right-field stands to put the Indians back ahead, 4-3.
So in one half inning, the Orioles both took and lost the lead, perhaps a first in either team's history.
Still, the game remains under protest after Fultz allowed the game-winning hit in the eighth and Roberto Hernandez gave up a two-run double to Ramon Hernandez in the ninth that put the game out of reach.
The defeat snapped the Indians' six-game winning streak.
Ultimately, the game was decided in the top of the eighth inning when Aaron Fultz gave up a two-run, two-out double to Corey Patterson that put the Orioles ahead, 5-4.
But the night will be long remembered, however, for its bizarre third-inning drama.
The trouble began in the top of the third inning with the Orioles ahead 2-1, one out and runners on first and third. Ramon Hernandez then drove a liner into center field that a diving Grady Sizemore snagged.
Figuring the ball was out of Sizemore's range, Nick Markakis on third and Miguel Tejada on first ran on contact. When Sizemore caught the ball, Markakis went back to third and tagged up before again heading home. Tejada was slower to react and Sizemore ended the inning by nailing him at first.
The problem was that the play wasn't a force situation, but rather a timing play. And Markakis had clearly passed home plate by the time Sizemore's throw reached first base.
Initially, there was little controversy. Neither Markakis nor O's manager Sam Perlozzo argued the play.
It was not until after the third inning that Perlozzo came out to speak with crew chief Ed Montague. An inning later, the umpires met with Wedge to discuss the situation. These between-inning meetings continued until the bottom of the sixth inning, when Montague called the official scorer with the scoring change.
With the game then even at 2, Markakis' run was retroactively added and the Orioles took a 3-2 lead. Wedge, who never appeared to lose his cool during this whole ordeal, filed a protest immediately as the scoreboard was changed.
Thankfully for the umpires, the fans had little time to notice the change as Jhonny Peralta shot a two-run homer into the right-field stands to put the Indians back ahead, 4-3.
So in one half inning, the Orioles both took and lost the lead, perhaps a first in either team's history.
Still, the game remains under protest after Fultz allowed the game-winning hit in the eighth and Roberto Hernandez gave up a two-run double to Ramon Hernandez in the ninth that put the game out of reach.
