The Boston Red Sox botched a double play in Game 4 of the ALCS on Wednesday night that cost them four runs, and an umpire actually helped spare them a fifth run.
Austin Jackson walked with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the second to make it 1-0 Detroit. Jose Iglesias followed with a hard ground ball to Dustin Pedroia at second. Pedroia wasn’t able to field the ball cleanly, so his throw to second was delayed. Shortstop Stephen Drew was well off the bag when he made the catch, but second base umpire Dan Iassogna still gave the Sox credit for the force out.
Torii Hunter then hit a 2-run double to make it 4-0. Had Jackson been called safe at second, he would have scored on Hunter’s ball and the Tigers’ lead would have been 5-0. Miguel Cabrera’s RBI single to drive in Hunter would have made it 6-0.
So Pedroia being unable to turn the double play cost the Red Sox four runs, but it should have cost them five.
Below is a GIF of the play:
GIF via SB Nation
