Bases loaded... No outs... 1-1 count on the right-handed batter. Offense tries to execute a suicide squeeze. Very astute pitcher/catcher battery. Pitcher brings a fastball up and out. Batter attempts to bunt, and misses. Catcher receives the ball.
Now, the catcher's job in this scenario, once he controls the ball, is to go straight up the line. Sometimes that's a dive to the plate. Sometimes it's running R3 back to third for a tag play there. Sometimes, the play is a safety squeeze, and he has no play to make. So the catcher can't simply dive to the plate. He has to evaluate and opt for the proper course.
Back to the play at hand...
In receiving the ball, the catcher finds himself to the right of, and behind home plate...basically, in the lefties' batters' box. The momentum of the batter's extreme effort to bunt the ball has carried him across home plate, and he is directly in line between the catcher and R3. Catcher goes up the line, contacts batter, adjusts, and falls on the sliding R3, late. Umpire, who had hat issues while removing mask, did not see the interference and called R3 safe. Discussion ensues, and after consultation with other umpire, decision is reversed. But...
Who is out.
In this case, the umpires called R3 out at the plate for out #1, allowed R1 and R2 to remain at second and third, and revised the count on the batter to 1-2. Although this ultimately worked in our favor (...my son was the catcher...), I don't think this was correct. How about one of you experts helping me out on this one.
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