Red Sox Jobbed in Game 3 Against the Cardinals
The Red Sox arguing the interference call at home plate.
The Cardinals led most of Game 3 against the Red Sox in St. Louis. They went up 2-0 in the bottom of the first inning, a lead which held steady until Boston tied it up with a run in the fifth and sixth.
When the home team immediately bit back with a pair in the seventh, the situation looked bleak for Boston.
But this Red Sox team has a history of late-game comebacks, so it came as no surprise when they matched them with two more in the eighth. The score stood at 4-4 in the bottom of the ninth with one Cardinal out.
The game was poised to extend into extra innings—that is until an extremely unfortunate Red Sox error set the stage for, what was perhaps, the most controversial ending to a game in World Series history.
The play started off well enough for the Sox, with second baseman Dustin Pedroia capably fielding a grounder at second and easily making the throw home to catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who tagged out Cardinals runner Yadier Molina.
Saltalamacchia then threw well wide of third baseman Will Middlebrooks, who tripped up Allen Craig as he tripped up himself attempting to reach for the wild throw.
The obstruction was called on this incident at third base.
Left fielder Daniel Nava was able to field the ball and get it back to Saltalamacchia in time to tag Craig out at home plate. But it was all for not because plate umpire Dana DeMuth ruled him safe on the grounds the runner had been obstructed at third base.
It was a stunning and bizarre way to end the game. So much so, in fact, that the Cardinals themselves could hardly believe their luck.
In his post game interview, St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina said, “I’m in show right now. … Wow, it’s unbelievable.” Slugger Matt Holliday added, “It’s part of the game. … We’ll take it.”
The Red Sox will take it too. Unfortunately for them, they’re going to have to take this one on the chin. This loss puts them down in the series 2-1, with the next two games to be played in St. Louis.
