The Athletics’ Max Schumann was supposed to hit a two-run double in the top of the second inning in Wednesday’s daytime game against the rival Angels, but a baserunning error by Kyle McCann cost him a run and ended the inning.
The bizarre moment came after Schumann hit the ball over the fence in left-center field, allowing Armando Alvarez to score easily.
Then McCann came home with an easy long hit and looked to have scored a second run.
Instead, McCann overran home plate, never made the throw to home, and was then called out when Alvarez came back and touched him before touching the ball.
The rules don’t allow a player to touch a teammate who is still running the bases, so McCann was called out.
Video review later determined that McCann had missed the base, confirming the wild out.
The Athletics finished the inning up 1-0, but ultimately lost to the Angels 5-2, marking their fifth straight loss.
Oakland is 6-18 in June and 29-54 overall.
The bizarre moment seemed to fit the bizarreness of the recent existence of the Athletics, one of the worst teams in baseball and a lame-duck franchise playing out its final days in Oakland before a temporary relocation to Sacramento.
