NEW YORK – The frustration was about to end for the Mets in the eighth inning. Although Shota Imanaga and the Cubs were giving them trouble all Wednesday night, the Mets found a breakthrough in the ninth inning with one out and two players in scoring position. Jeff McNeil also hit a fly about two-thirds down the left field line, probably deep enough to score Pete Alonso, but probably not.
With the game on the line, Alonso ran with his head down. At that moment, Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya positioned himself to receive the throw, placing half of his foot on home. Eventually, Amaya shifted to left to catch third baseman Nick Madrigal's relay, covering even more of his at-bats in the process. Alonso slid in head first, reaching between Amaya's legs.
Everything converged at once. Home plate umpire Charlie Ramos called Alonso out, unofficially ending the game as a 1-0 loss for the Mets. And then the chaos began.
With players from both teams watching from the dugout, Major League Baseball's replay review team considered two aspects of the play: Did Amaya illegally block home plate? If not, should Amaya tag him? Had Alonso's hand touched the house before?
After nearly four minutes of deliberation, replay officer Derek Thomas gave the final verdict: “No, not conclusive.” To the disbelief of many in the home clubhouse at Citi Field, Alonso was ruled out and the Cubs were favored to win.
“I think they made the wrong decision,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said.
Mendoza's main point of contention was an MLB rule that prohibits catchers from blocking home plate without a baseball in hand. The so-called “Buster Posey Rule,” designed to minimize collisions, states that “a catcher is not allowed to obstruct a runner's path to the plate unless he has the ball; is not allowed.” A legal attempt to receive a throw is not considered a violation. ” The rule adds that if the catcher violates the rule, the runner may be ruled safe.
“They send out a memo during spring training that says what's legal and what's illegal,” Mendoza said of MLB. “That email and the memo we received clearly stated that catchers are not allowed to put their feet in front of the plate, on the plate. You can't step over it. It was very clear. [Amaya] He was not holding a baseball and had his left foot on the plate. ”
Amaya did not straddle the house, but half of her legs were on top of it.
“I had 100 percent confidence in myself. [that I wasn’t blocking the plate]” said Amaya. “I gave him a lane and they [had] The review was exactly what I expected. ”
“I don't think I understand it anymore,” Mets catcher Omar Narváez said when asked if he understood the rules.
“Everyone thought we were getting a call,” he added.
The ruling brought an abrupt end to an eight-inning game that was primarily a pitcher's battle. Imanaga held the Mets to three hits in seven scoreless innings, but Jose Butt maintained the pace with one run in six innings. The Mets threatened in the eighth inning but were unable to score. Finally, in the ninth inning, Cubs closer Hector Neris gave Alonso a hit by a pitch, and J.D. Martinez followed with a spectacular double.
With one out and 1st base, the Cubs elected to throw to McNeil, who hit a 272-foot opposite fly down the left field line. Alonso rushed home. Ramos called out to him. Mendoza ran onto the field and took on the challenge.
As both teams awaited the ruling, Alonso watched the video replay on the center field scoreboard. He kept his helmet in hand and spread his arms wide to show he believed in his safety.
“At first I thought I had accidentally put my hand in there,” Alonso said. “But the phone said I was out, so I went out.”
After the match, some of Alonso's teammates still believed in his safety. Amaya insisted she had done nothing wrong. Mendoza said he looks forward to hearing further from MLB on the matter, but acknowledged that he and Alonso are past the time for discussion.
“I tried my best,” Alonso said. “I made the best slide I could. The umpire said it was out, so I was out.”
