Was at the Carolina League (High Class A) championship game last week in Frederick, MD. Game between the Kinston (NC) Indians and the Frederick Keys (Orioles organization).
Game goes into extra innings, tied 1-1.
Top of 11th, Kinston takes a 2-1 lead. But the excitement came in the bottom of the 11th.
1 out, runners on 1st and 3rd, Frederick tries a suicide squeeze play. Pitcher throws inside, batter jumps out of the way, catcher tags out runner coming home. Now 2 outs. Batter walks.
2 out, runners on 1st and 2nd. Batter hits ground ball (chopper) to 3B who needs to charge to make a play. Appears to be some incidental contact between 3B and runner coming to 3rd...3B bobbles ball, everyone called safe (bases loaded). Kinston manager races out to argue, gets umpire at 3rd (4-man crew) to check with other umpires. Umpire conference on infield...players waiting on field...several minutes pass...umpires head over to talk to 3rd base coach for Frederick (I knew then what that meant). At first conversation is calm, but gets more heated, then VERY heated. Then umpire calls runner at 3rd out for interference.
Place explodes! Theres some belly bumping between coach and umpire. Kinston is champions of Carolina league...major celebration on one part of infield, major explosion on other part, crowd is stunned silent.
It was surreal. Ever seen anything like this?
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