Tag: Yandy Diaz

Hunter Renfroe saved a run for the Red Sox by accidentally hip-checking the ball over the fence

An obscure ground rule double ruling gave Boston new life.

Welcome to the MLB postseason, where an obscure baseball rule has turned the tide and the momentum of a series!

On Sunday, in the 13th inning of the Tampa Bay Rays versus Boston Red Sox ALDS, baseball fans were treated to an unusual ground rule double situation. With Yandy Diaz on first for Tampa Bay, Kevin Kiermaier smacked a ball into right-center field, which bounced off the top of the wall and right into Hunter Renfroe in the outfield.

The ball then careened off of Renfroe’s accidental hip check and went over the outfield wall, causing instant chaos and confusion from the Red Sox players on the field. Diaz came around to score on the play, but after a lengthy review the umpires ruled the play a ground rule double.

The result? Diaz stayed put at third and Kiermaier went to second, with no runs scored on the play.

Here’s the alternate angle of the play, which gives a better look at the path the ball took off of the wall and then off of Renfroe.

Baseball fans immediately were confused by the ruling, which logically makes no sense since Renfroe is an active player and isn’t a stationary part of the field. However, there is a very obscure MLB rule that covers this specific instance and states that a ball deflected by a player out of play is considered a ground rule double.

Unfortunately for the Rays, Tampa Bay was unable to score off of the completely bizarre play and Diaz and Kiermaier were left on base to end the inning.

And of course, as sports narratives often do, we got a picture-perfect ending to the game, as Renfroe got on base and then Christian Vazquez blasted home a two-run home run to give the Red Sox the 6-4 win and the 2-1 series lead.

Talk about a demoralizing end if you’re the Rays. To go from scoring the go-ahead run to having it called back due to circumstances completely out of your control, then to see the guy who caused that weird play put the dagger in you while rounding the bases? Just brutal.

In the end, the umpires got the call right as written in the rule book, but don’t be surprised if it changes due to the strange circumstances it brings about.

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