A strange play unfolded in the Astros-Twins game with Houston threatening to extend their lead. Two on, two out, and then a bizarre decision killed the rally. The Astros baserunner reached out and touched a live ball that hadn’t quite landed foul or fair, acting like he was chasing a beach ball. The umpires immediately stepped in to sort it out, with the Twins manager questioning whether it was interference and if it was deliberate.
The umpires huddled to figure out intent. One clearly saw the runner reach over and make contact, then quickly realize his mistake. The crew agreed it looked intentional, which meant the runner was out. Houston’s manager Dusty Baker didn’t put up a big fight. He came out for a quick word, but all three umpires stood by the call. One even seemed amused, saying, “Come on man, you touched that ball,” as the replay left little doubt.
The whole thing felt like a mental lapse. The runner had no reason to reach toward the ball, and it clearly cost the team a chance to add runs. Instead of blowing the game open, Houston lost a key scoring opportunity because of a brainless mistake.