O's 3-for-3 on challenges, which hurt Nats' chances

August 24th, 2016

BALTIMORE -- The Orioles took advantage of instant replay in an 8-1 victory over the Nationals on Tuesday night at Camden Yards.
Baltimore challenged three rulings in the game and won all three challenges, two of which snuffed out Nationals rallies. According to MLB Public Relations, the Orioles became the third team -- Rockies and Mets are the others -- to have three successful challenges in the same game this season.
"It certainly helped," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "We needed each one of them. It kept any momentum from getting going."
The first challenge came in the bottom of the first inning. After led off with a single, it appeared as if he stole second base. Showalter challenged the ruling on the field, claiming second baseman tagged Turner's body after receiving the throw from catcher . After a review of one minute and 11 seconds, the call was overturned and Turner was ruled out on the play.

Two innings later, after he reached base on his second single of the night, Turner attempted to steal second again and was ruled safe by second-base umpire Lance Barksdale. However, Showalter challenged the call again. The decision took longer -- two minutes and 23 seconds -- to determine that Turner was out. Replay showed that Schoop tagged Turner on his leg.
"I just wish [Wieters] would have made good throws right over the bag," Turner said. "I think I have a better chance that way. Throw gets taken up the line, you know he can put the tag on you a little bit faster, and that's what happened tonight."

With the naked eye, according to Showalter, it's tough to see a tag made from behind and watch a player's hand hit the bag.
"When the tag is behind, you've got to look at the hand touching the base and you can't really see back there," Showalter said. "Just another way you try to make the game better with some of the changes. Glad we had them in place tonight. One of them was tough for [Orioles video coordinator Ben Werthan] -- the second one, the stolen base. But it's good."
In the bottom of the third inning, Orioles outfielder was called out at first base on a grounder to shortstop. After Showalter challenged the ruling on the field, it didn't take long for it to be overturned. Jones was called safe 58 seconds later.
Nationals manager Dusty Baker didn't complain about the calls being overturned, but he felt they took too long.
"They have to do something to correct the length of time," Baker said. "Maybe after 30 seconds, if it's inconclusive, you come up with whatever the umpire said. ... I'm kind of new to replay. It's tough to lose three of them."