Washington to be More Forceful on Replays

Rangers manager Ron Washington says he should have been more forceful Wednesday night when the umpiring crew declined to check a replay after a drive by Josh Hamilton appeared to be a home run but was ruled a double.

Hamilton led off the fourth inning with a shot that television replays showed cleared the 14-foot fence in left and bounced back into play.

Second base umpire Doug Eddings signaled the ball hit the top of the wall and wasn't a homer. Hamilton stopped at second with a double. A home run would have tied the game at 2.

When Washington came out to argue, Eddings insisted that he got the call right. Washington didn't specifically ask for a replay, returning to the dugout convinced that Hamilton deserved a double.

After the game, crew chief Dana DeMuth viewed a replay and later told a pool reporter that it should have been a homer. A replay showed the ball striking the back part of the wall, not the top of it.

Texas went on to a 4-3 victory on Nelson Cruz's ninth inning sacrifice fly.

Washington said before Thursday night's game against the Orioles that next time the situation comes up, he'll be more demanding of a replay.

"I think I should have asked them to review it," Washington said. "Whether they did or not wouldn't have mattered, (but) at least I would have asked. But (Eddings) convinced me."

After Wednesday night's game, Hamilton wasn't angry over the lost homer, but on Thursday he said the umpires should use the replay process that has been put in place for just such situations.

"The replay is there for a reason," Hamilton said. "If there's a question in their minds, maybe it should be utilized."

Orioles manager Dave Trembley praised the umpires Thursday for admitting their error.

"I'll give Dana DeMuth a lot of credit for coming out and saying we didn't get it right," Trembley said "That's hard. That's not within the framework of umpires to admit that. It takes a lot for them to do it."