Review takes unexpected turn for Price, Reds
Coghlan triple overturned to home run, but fan interference pertinent issue for Cincy manager
CINCINNATI -- When arguing that Chris Coghlan's triple should be ruled a double on Tuesday vs. the Cubs, Reds manager Bryan Price never dreamed of the outcome that resulted.
During the Reds' 5-4 loss to Chicago in 13 innings, Coghlan wound up with a game-tying home run in the top of the sixth inning on a drive to the left-field wall after a crew-chief review.
"The concern was the placement of the runner," Price said. "As far as we knew, it wasn't an issue if it was a home run or a double or triple -- the concern was there was fan interference."
Reds starter Raisel Iglesias had a 2-1 lead in the sixth when Coghlan hit his 3-0 pitch to left field. The ball appeared to hit a fan reaching over the fence and bounced off the top of the wall. Skip Schumaker hesitated as he played the ball as Coghlan rolled to third base.
Price emerged from the dugout to argue the call before home-plate umpire and crew chief Fieldin Culbreth initiated a review. After a three-minute and 42-second delay, the call was overturned and Coghlan was awarded the homer. After viewing all relevant angles, the replay official definitively determined that the ball would have left the playing field in flight.
While the video replay angles showed that the correct call was ultimately made, Price emerged again for an explanation that still left him far from satisfied.
"It was a boundary call as far as on where they wanted to place that runner based on where the ball was hit, and what you could safely assume would have happened had it not been obstructed with," Price said. "Then, of course, it comes back as a home run call. It certainly wasn't what we were looking for. We weren't even thinking about that. You shouldn't be punished in that situation.
"It's convoluted. There are times you challenge an out-safe play at home and they won't look at the obstruction of the plate. You have to ask for the obstruction call and then you'll get the out-safe call as well. It's still ambiguous because all these plays that are happening have a newness to them. The fact that it gets turned from a double or triple into a home run was certainly something none of us were expecting."