NEW YORK (AP) - Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell was ejected Sunday night after arguing a call that was overturned on replay in favor of the New York Yankees.
With runners at the corners and one out in the fourth inning, the Red Sox thought they turned an inning-ending double play on Francisco Cervelli’s grounder. First base umpire Bob Davidson called Cervelli out on a bang-bang play, and Cervelli grabbed his right hamstring as he tumbled to the ground.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi challenged the call, which was overturned after a 3-minute replay review. That gave New York another run and a 3-1 lead.
Farrell, surely still bothered by a replay review that curiously went against Boston the day before, pointed to his eyes as he argued with two umpires. He was quickly ejected by Davidson.
Managers aren’t allowed to argue replay rulings.
Major League Baseball acknowledged Saturday it made the wrong call on a replay challenge during New York’s 7-4 victory over the Red Sox.
Dean Anna of the Yankees was ruled safe on a double in the eighth inning. A television replay showed his right foot briefly came off the base as he stood up with shortstop Xander Bogaerts tagging him.
Farrell challenged the call and it was reviewed. Moments later, umpires said the call stood and Anna remained at second.
MLB said the conclusive angle showing Anna was out wasn’t immediately available inside the replay booth in New York.
No one scored after the play.
“I’ve seen the statement that they released and it’s unfortunate,” Farrell said Sunday. “Because at field level, you’ve got two points: One, in which our replay was conclusive that he was off the bag, and the other point is a safe call. In between, there’s a lot of questions that come up and really challenges the validity of the process that’s being used.
“I don’t have the answer. There’s no way I could have the answer why that was not determined at the time,” he added. “The reason being that they didn’t see it or they didn’t have it. That’s what leaves you scratching your head.”
Even Girardi understood Farrell’s problem with the call.
“I’m not so sure how that happens,” Girardi said Sunday. “It’s a little confusing to me.”
Cervelli was replaced Sunday by pinch-runner Ichiro Suzuki. When the Yankees took the field in the fifth, Suzuki was in right field and Carlos Beltran moved from right field to first base to replace Cervelli.
It was the first time Beltran had played first base in his 16-year major league career. He was pressed into service because oft-injured second baseman Brian Roberts was sidelined with a sore back, preventing Girardi from shuffling his infielders after Cervelli went down.
In the seventh inning, the Yankees announced that Roberts had a precautionary MRI that was negative. He will be evaluated over the next few days.
Cervelli’s injury also left the Yankees with no natural backup for catcher Brian McCann. Cervelli was filling in at first base for Mark Teixeira, on the disabled list with a strained right hamstring.
Star shortstop Derek Jeter was out of the lineup for the second consecutive game after feeling tightness in his right quadriceps Friday night.
Girardi said he could use Jeter in an emergency.
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