The St. Louis Cardinals edged the visiting Boston Red Sox 5-4 late Saturday on a strange game-ending play in the third game of Major League Baseball's World Series.
The Cardinals' Allen Craig was credited with scoring the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning after he tripped over Boston third baseman Will Middlebrooks while trying to run home. The umpire immediately called obstruction on the third baseman. Even though Craig was tagged out at home plate by catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, the umpires ruled that he would have scored had he not been tripped and gave St. Louis the run.
The game-ending score broke a 4-4 tie, giving the Cardinals a two-games-to-one edge in the best-of-seven championship series.
The next two games will also be played in St. Louis, on Sunday and Monday nights.
Saturday's game was tied in the ninth inning after Boston scored twice in the eighth. St. Louis had runners on second and third bases with just one out in the bottom of the ninth when batter John Jay hit a ground ball to Boston second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who threw home where the catcher tagged the runner from third base for the second out. However, catcher Saltalamacchia then threw wildly past third as Craig slid into the base after advancing from second. Craig quickly got up and tried to run home, only to trip over third baseman Middlebrooks, who was lying flat on his stomach after trying to catch the wild throw. The umpires quickly ruled obstruction, allowing the game-ending run to score.
All players from both teams quickly ran onto the field - the Cardinals in jubilation and the Red Sox in protest in what they saw as an unfair ending.
The Cardinals' Allen Craig was credited with scoring the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning after he tripped over Boston third baseman Will Middlebrooks while trying to run home. The umpire immediately called obstruction on the third baseman. Even though Craig was tagged out at home plate by catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, the umpires ruled that he would have scored had he not been tripped and gave St. Louis the run.
The game-ending score broke a 4-4 tie, giving the Cardinals a two-games-to-one edge in the best-of-seven championship series.
The next two games will also be played in St. Louis, on Sunday and Monday nights.
Saturday's game was tied in the ninth inning after Boston scored twice in the eighth. St. Louis had runners on second and third bases with just one out in the bottom of the ninth when batter John Jay hit a ground ball to Boston second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who threw home where the catcher tagged the runner from third base for the second out. However, catcher Saltalamacchia then threw wildly past third as Craig slid into the base after advancing from second. Craig quickly got up and tried to run home, only to trip over third baseman Middlebrooks, who was lying flat on his stomach after trying to catch the wild throw. The umpires quickly ruled obstruction, allowing the game-ending run to score.
All players from both teams quickly ran onto the field - the Cardinals in jubilation and the Red Sox in protest in what they saw as an unfair ending.
