The Orioles were left frustrated after a strange turn of events contributed to their 6-4 loss against the Blue Jays. A play that seemed like it would end the inning ignited a rally for Toronto.
In the sixth inning, while leading 4-1 at Rogers Center, a mistake by Gunnar Henderson allowed Ernie Clement to reach base, putting runners on the corners with one out.
Brandon Valenzuela then sent a ball up the middle towards Henderson. It seemed like he would tag the runner as he threw to first. But instead of an out, the second baseman, Nick Lentz, judged that Clement had dodged a tag, ruling him safe.
This decision set off a chain reaction of anger from the Orioles, who felt this call shifted momentum in favor of the Blue Jays. Hits from Kazuma Okamoto, Andres Jimenez, and Nathan Rooks followed, making things worse for Baltimore.
Adding to the drama, right-hander Shane Baz was ejected after a series of hits and reportedly yelled at the umpire, “You screwed up.”
After the game, Buzz remarked, “I don’t want to discuss that play because it could lead to a fine. That’s really the only reason I’m keeping quiet.”
Henderson also voiced his dissatisfaction with the call, implying it wasn’t justified.
Following the game, the umpire explained his reasoning to the media, stating that runners are allowed to create a base path, indicating that Clement had established his path to avoid interference with fielders.
Crew chief Hunter Wendelstedt described the call as a “very gentlemanly thing to do,” noting that Clement’s established path meant there was no attempt to evade the tag.
Orioles manager Craig Albanaz echoed the players’ sentiments, insisting that Henderson’s action was indeed an attempt to tag, which should have counted. “There are no specific rules about how far you need to reach to make a tag,” he pointed out.
