This was a well played and hard fought game until the final out. The A's led off the seesaw game in the top of the first with two runs (capitalizing on two Marlins miscues). The Marlins answered with three in the bottom of the first and three in the bottom of the second. With a 6-2 lead and Jim Ansel on the bump, the Marlins got comfortable, but the A's scrapped for 1 in the fourth and 4 in the top of the fifth to take a 7 - 6 lead. The Marlins mounted the eventual winning rally with two in the bottom of the fifth. Jim Latorre came on in relief of Mr. Ansel and pitched into and out of jams in the sixth and seveth innings. The final score was reached when the Marlins got a lead off double in the bottom of the sixth followed by an RBI single by Dave Mitchell. The A's had the tying runs on base as Mr. Latorre retired the last A's batter in the seventh. It was a tense opening game of the playoffs for the two-time defending champs, but we always seem to get these type of games whenever we play the A's. Nice game guys. See you Thursday night at the A-diamond.
Definitely a fun game to have been part of. I do want to point out that there was a crucial blunder made with the bases loaded, 1 out, A's up 7-6 and the runner from first was hit by the batted ball as he was advancing to second. The umpires ruled the ball dead, and all runners had to return to their bases. WRONG CALL -- runners were forced to advance and therefore were allowed those bases see RULE 7.08(f) below were it states: "The ball is dead and no runner may score, nor runners advance, except runners forced to advance." Huge change in momentum.... and a very crucial point in the game. I addressed this with the umps to no avail. The score would have been 8-6 at that point (As), with all scenarios changing. Everything from that point on changes. Being an official protest, we would start the game from that very point, and the outcome of the game may be different who knows.
Im not taking anything away from either team. Both had good pitching, good hitting, and good fielding. There is never a dull moment when these two teams meet. Earlier in the year we played 9 innings to a 1-1 tie. Both teams have a very competitive good group of guys that loved to play this game. I have much respect for the guys on their team. And other than the one call, I thought the umps did a good job as well. Consistent strike zone and control of the game.
Rule 7.08(e) Comment: PLAY. Runner on first and three balls on batter: Runner steals on the next pitch, which is fourth ball, but after having touched second he overslides or overruns that base. Catchers throw catches him before he can return. Ruling is that runner is out. (Force out is removed.) Oversliding and overrunning situations arise at bases other than first base. For instance, before two are out, and runners on first and second, or first, second and third, the ball is hit to an infielder who tries for the double play. The runner on first beats the throw to second base but overslides the base. The relay is made to first base and the batter-runner is out. The first baseman, seeing the runner at second base off the bag, makes the return throw to second and the runner is tagged off the base. Meanwhile runners have crossed the plate. The question is: Is this a force play? Was the force removed when the batter-runner was out at first base? Do the runs that crossed the plate during this play and before the third out was made when the runner was tagged at second, count? Answer: The runs score. It is not a force play. It is a tag play. (f) He is touched by a fair ball in fair territory before the ball has touched or passed an infielder. The ball is dead and no runner may score, nor runners advance, except runners forced to advance. EXCEPTION: If a runner is touching his base when touched by an Infield Fly, he is not out, although the batter is out; Rule 7.08(f) Comment: If two runners are touched by the same fair ball, only the first one is out because the ball is instantly dead. - http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/official_rules/runner_7.jsp
When the runner running from first to second was hit by the batted ball, the ball is dead and the runner hit by the batted ball is declared out and all runners must return to their original base - unless they are forced to advance. (MLB rule 7.0.8(f))
When the batted ball hit the runner, the play is dead the moment the umpire declares interference. Since the runner is declared out, the runners on second and third are no longer forced and must return to their bases.
The forced to advance only occurs if a runner on second or third was hit by a batted ball and interference is called. Lets say bases are loaded, ground ball toward short and the ball hits the runner attempting to advance from second to third. The runner is declared out for interference. The runner on third must return to third since he was not forced to advance. The runner on first would be forced to second because the batter needs to occupy first base.
