Rays win challenge, have call overturned
Jennings awarded stolen base in 10th after initially being ruled out
ST. PETERSBURG -- The Rays successfully challenged an out call on a Desmond Jennings stolen-base attempt in the bottom of the 10th inning of Saturday's game against the Red Sox.
With two outs and Yunel Escobar batting in a 5-5 game, Jennings tried to steal second and was called out on a throw by David Ross. Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon challenged, and after a replay review by umpiring crew chief Larry Vanover, the call was overturned.
"I really thought from the dugout that he had tagged him high," Maddon said after the game. "And I know that sound impossible, but you do it often enough from one spot, you can see things.
"So I went out there, and of course I looked into the dugout, and they gave me the thumbs up, 'Let's roll.' But that's what I saw -- I thought it was a high tag from the dugout, and that's why I immediately went out. But I'm still going to wait and find out from the guys."
The safe ruling put Jennings, the potential winning run, in scoring position.
The Rays have challenged 18 times. Of their 18 challenges, seven calls have been overturned, six have stood and five have been confirmed.
As the crowd saw the replay on the Tropicana Field video board -- in which Jennings appeared to get his hand on second base ahead of the tag by Dustin Pedroia -- they started a chant of "Safe! Safe! Safe!"
When Vanover took off his headset and made the signal for "safe" after a two-minute, five-second review, the crowd erupted.
Escobar grounded out on the next pitch to end the inning.