Before the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners even took the field on Tuesday night in Seattle, the second-place Oakland A's had won a rain-shortened six-inning affair in Detroit against Justin Verlander and the team with the best record in the American League. Of course they did.
In the top of the 10th inning, the 3-3 game between Texas and Seattle just got weird, and it kept getting weirder.
Elvis Andrus laid down a bunt and was hit in the back by the throw to first from Seattle closer Danny Farquhar, appearing to be safe at first. Then home plate umpire CB Bucknor, traditionally known as one of the worst umpires in the game, stepped in and ruled Andrus had run in fair territory and was out for impeding the throw to first, drawing an intense argument from Andrus and manager Ron Washington.
Replay showed Andrus had indeed run mere inches inside the baseline, but it wasn't a ruling that would often be made. But hey, he got it right, and we move on.
After Ian Kinsler and Adrian Beltre singled, Kinsler swiped third base to put runners on the corners with one out. After A.J. Pierzynski hit a weak, infield pop-up when all he needed was a sac fly to the outfield, the Rangers hopes appeared close to being dashed.
Then, Bucknor struck again, calling Farquhar for the smallest of balk moves that no one really seemed to see, even in slow-motion replays, but hey, he got it right, and we move on.
The balk scored Kinsler and that proved to be the game-winner, and Oakland fans were probably seething as the Rangers held on to their 2 1/2-game lead in the AL West.
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That's just the way baseball goes.
