ST. LOUIS
Few fans can spell the name Jarrod Saltalamacchia, but everyone in New England knows how to spell — and scream — “No!!!!!”
That was the sound made by millions of Red Sox fans, counterpointed at the same split second by just as many whoops of joy by St. Louis Cardinals fans, when the Boston catcher, usually referred to affectionately simply as “Salty,” made the utterly unnecessary decision to throw to third base.
And that wild throw with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning cost the Red Sox a 5-4 loss in Game 3 of the World Series, giving the Cardinals a 2-1 lead entering Sunday night’s Game 4.
Technically, the final play will be ruled “obstruction” on Boston third baseman Will Middlebrooks, who tripped Cardinals runner Allen Craig as Salty’s wild throw rolled down the left field line. What else could he do?
But before Craig ever got to home plate with the winning run, third base umpire Jim Joyce, the ump who is to controversies what a magnet is to iron filings, had already signaled obstruction, allowing the run and securing a Cardinals victory — a rare baseball curiosity when the winning run actually scores before anybody ever tags home plate.
“I don’t know how he [Middlebrooks] gets out of the way when he’s lying on the ground. That’s a tough one to shallow,” Red Sox Manager John Farrell said.
If obstruction had not been called, Craig actually would have been out at the plate on the throw back in from left field.
Joyce’s call was solid. The questions will be about Salty.
“We’ve made a couple of costly throws to third base this year,” said Farrell, “and this was a costly throw.”
Salty had just tagged out Yadier Molina at home plate on a brilliant fielder’s choice — a diving stop of a ground smash by second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who threw accurately to the plate. Everything was suddenly right in the Red Sox world — or pretty close to it. A huge Cards rally in a 4-4 game in the bottom of the ninth was on the verge of being extinguished. The Cards would have runners at first and third with two outs, but the Red Sox would have Koji Uehara, the best closer in baseball, on the mound.
No, no, no, don’t do anything crazy!
But Salty went with the inspiration or World Series dementia of the moment. His peg to third would not have nailed Craig if it had been accurate. But it wasn’t — it sailed into the sliding runner, nicking his uniform.
Middlebrooks will spend many a night wondering why, how, he did not prevent Salty’s throw from getting past him and rolling down the line in foul territory. Damn the tag, man, stop the ball!
The best, and worst, that Middlebrooks could do was trip, perhaps partly by accident, Craig as he tried to rise to run home with the winning run.
Never, perhaps, has a Series game ended with a wilder scene around home plate with players from both teams all trying to understand what had happened, and Farrell begging for an explanation.
But from that fatal instant, when Salty changed his name forever to Jarrod Nooomacchia, this game was in the books.
Few fans can spell the name Jarrod Saltalamacchia, but everyone in New England knows how to spell — and scream — “No!!!!!”
That was the sound made by millions of Red Sox fans, counterpointed at the same split second by just as many whoops of joy by St. Louis Cardinals fans, when the Boston catcher, usually referred to affectionately simply as “Salty,” made the utterly unnecessary decision to throw to third base.
And that wild throw with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning cost the Red Sox a 5-4 loss in Game 3 of the World Series, giving the Cardinals a 2-1 lead entering Sunday night’s Game 4.
Technically, the final play will be ruled “obstruction” on Boston third baseman Will Middlebrooks, who tripped Cardinals runner Allen Craig as Salty’s wild throw rolled down the left field line. What else could he do?
But before Craig ever got to home plate with the winning run, third base umpire Jim Joyce, the ump who is to controversies what a magnet is to iron filings, had already signaled obstruction, allowing the run and securing a Cardinals victory — a rare baseball curiosity when the winning run actually scores before anybody ever tags home plate.
“I don’t know how he [Middlebrooks] gets out of the way when he’s lying on the ground. That’s a tough one to shallow,” Red Sox Manager John Farrell said.
If obstruction had not been called, Craig actually would have been out at the plate on the throw back in from left field.
Joyce’s call was solid. The questions will be about Salty.
“We’ve made a couple of costly throws to third base this year,” said Farrell, “and this was a costly throw.”
Salty had just tagged out Yadier Molina at home plate on a brilliant fielder’s choice — a diving stop of a ground smash by second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who threw accurately to the plate. Everything was suddenly right in the Red Sox world — or pretty close to it. A huge Cards rally in a 4-4 game in the bottom of the ninth was on the verge of being extinguished. The Cards would have runners at first and third with two outs, but the Red Sox would have Koji Uehara, the best closer in baseball, on the mound.
No, no, no, don’t do anything crazy!
But Salty went with the inspiration or World Series dementia of the moment. His peg to third would not have nailed Craig if it had been accurate. But it wasn’t — it sailed into the sliding runner, nicking his uniform.
Middlebrooks will spend many a night wondering why, how, he did not prevent Salty’s throw from getting past him and rolling down the line in foul territory. Damn the tag, man, stop the ball!
The best, and worst, that Middlebrooks could do was trip, perhaps partly by accident, Craig as he tried to rise to run home with the winning run.
Never, perhaps, has a Series game ended with a wilder scene around home plate with players from both teams all trying to understand what had happened, and Farrell begging for an explanation.
But from that fatal instant, when Salty changed his name forever to Jarrod Nooomacchia, this game was in the books.