The addition of Major League Baseball’s new replay system has been a contentious issue for some baseball purists.
On Tuesday, however, that system helped the Cleveland Indians pull off one of the most impressive triple plays in recent memory against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
With nobody out and runners on first and third base, Dodgers slugger Adrian Gonzalez hit a shallow fly ball to Michael Brantley. The Indians left fielder caught the ball and made a perfect throw to catcher Yan Gomes at home plate to nab Dee Gordon, who had tagged up on the play. After Gomes applied the tag, Yasiel Puig tried to advance from first and was called safe after a very close play at second.
That’s when the replay system kicked in.
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The umpires’ reviews of the play proved crucial for Cleveland. The crew overturned the Puig safe call at second after Indians manager Terry Francona’s challenge and upheld the Gordon out call at home plate after Dodgers manager Don Mattingly’s challenge, meaning the replay system not only allowed the triple play to happen but preserved the rare play, too.
Spurred by their not-so-conventional 7-2-4 triple play, the Indians scored five runs in the last four innings en route to a 10-3 win at Dodger Stadium.
Thumbnail photo via USA Today Sports Images/Jayne Kamin-Oncea
