A series opener between the Boston Red Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays at MLB experienced a lengthy delay lasting between 15 and 17 minutes in the top of the seventh inning due to rare baserunning rule confusion. The root of the mix-up stemmed from the stadium’s center-field scoreboard, which incorrectly displayed two outs instead of one when Ceddanne Rafaela came to the plate with runners on base according to Yahoo Sports.
Scoreboard Confusion Triggers Unusual Delay at Rogers Centre
Because players watched the scoreboard, baserunner Nick Sogard took off from first base assuming there were two outs, while Anthony Seigler tagged up from third on Rafaela’s fly ball to center fielder Brett Bateman. Bateman caught the ball and threw it to Josh Smith, who relayed it to first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to double off Sogard, completing what appeared to be a standard inning-ending double play. With three outs recorded, both teams initially cleared the field, believing the inning was over without any damage.
The Rulebook Quirk and the “Fourth Out” Appeal
Following the play, the umpiring crew stopped the game to conduct an extensive review, consulting with replay officials in New York and speaking with Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy and Blue Jays manager John Schneider. Crew chief Guccione eventually announced to the crowd and media that the run would score, leading to a final inning tally of two runs for Toronto and one for Boston.
The decision hinged on USA Today reporting of Rule 5.09(c)(4), which governs “time plays” rather than “force plays.” When an appeal play takes place on an inning-ending play, that appeal decision takes precedence in determining the out. A defense is permitted to appeal a baserunning mistake by another runner even after the third out is recorded—a situation baseball refers to as a “fourth out.”
For Toronto to wipe the run off the board, they needed to successfully appeal that Seigler left third base early before crossing home plate. However, under the rules, a defensive team can only make such an appeal before the pitcher and all four infielders cross into foul territory, meaning they have left the field of play. Because the Blue Jays had only appealed to first base and their fielders had already crossed the third-base line, they were denied the opportunity to appeal to third base, allowing Seigler’s run to legally count.
Game Outcome and Final Result
Despite the prolonged chaos, the unusual ruling did not alter the ultimate outcome of the matchup. The Blue Jays maintained their advantage and defeated the Red Sox 2–1 to open the series. Simeon Woods Richardson earned the win for Toronto, while Louis Varland picked up the save. Sonny Gray took the loss for Boston, having surrendered two runs in the sixth inning, while Charles McAdoo hit a solo home run during the contest.
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