The Portland Sea Dogs hosted the Harrisburg Senators in a Double-A matchup that turned chaotic in the bottom of the sixth. Harrisburg led 2-0 when a base hit set the stage for a bizarre sequence. The next batter popped a ball straight into the air. As the runner on first retreated, he collided with the first baseman, who was trying to make the catch. The broadcast didn’t catch the actual moment of contact, but the aftermath was clear: the first baseman was down, and confusion reigned.
The umpires ruled both runners safe, and that didn’t sit well with Harrisburg’s manager, Tripp. He stormed out to argue that the runner interfered with the fielder. According to him, the fielder was in position to make the play and the contact prevented it. The umps disagreed, sticking with their original ruling. Tripp pressed the issue, turning more animated as he used his hat and jersey to demonstrate where the ball landed, revealing a sleeveless look that signaled he wasn’t backing down. After a heated back-and-forth, the umpires ejected him.
Because it’s the minors, Tripp had to walk across the field to exit. Moments later, the Sea Dogs scored on a base hit, adding to the argument that the play swung momentum. Debate remains over whether interference should have been called and if the umps blew it. What’s clear is the call stood, Tripp was out, and Portland capitalized.