Marlins upset over costly overturned call
MIAMI -- MLB adopted Rule 7:13 to prevent collisions at home plate. On Thursday night, the new guideline helped decide an outcome that didn't sit well with some in the Marlins' organization.
An overturned call on a play at the plate gave the Reds new life in the eighth inning, and Cincinnati capitalized by rallying to a 3-1 victory over Miami at Marlins Park.
From team president David Samson to manager Mike Redmond to the players, the Marlins disagreed with the call that enabled Zack Cozart to score the tying run after he was initially called out at the plate by home-plate umpire Mike Winters.
Samson termed the decision a "travesty."
MLB issued a statement: "We have begun to examine the Crew Chief Review in tonight's Reds-Marlins game, which resulted in a violation of Rule 7.13, the call being overturned and a run scoring on the play. We plan to discuss this situation further with the appropriate parties tomorrow, and we will communicate with the Clubs after our discussion about this play."
The inning would have ended on a double play in which Todd Frazier lifted a fly ball to Giancarlo Stanton in right field. Stanton's one-hop throw home was received by catcher Jeff Mathis, who applied the tag on Cozart, who didn't slide.
Instead of the inning being over, the Reds contended that Cozart didn't have a lane. They won the argument. After pitcher Bryan Morris had to wait more than six minutes, he gave up a go-ahead two-run single to center to Ryan Ludwick.
"It is a travesty of this game that a game turns around because of a call no one in baseball thinks should have been made, except for four guys in New York," Samson said.
Redmond was ejected for arguing.
"The ball beat him by 10 feet. And there is absolutely zero excuse," Samson said. "That is not the reason this rule was put into play under any scenario. Not one scenario that was discussed had the scenario of a catcher getting the ball 10 feet from right field where you cannot block the plate."
Samson added the team can't appeal.