Incredible throw overshadowed by review, 9th-inning play

PHILADELPHIA -- Jesús Luzardo called it one of the best plays he's ever seen on a Major League field.

Unfortunately, it's like it never actually happened.

Marlins left fielder Brian Anderson uncorked a 95.5 mph laser to the plate to complete what appeared to be an inning-ending double play in the sixth inning of Miami's 3-2 loss to the Phillies on Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park. The ball took one hop before settling perfectly into the glove of catcher Nick Fortes, who immediately slapped the tag on Phillies shortstop Edmundo Sosa.

Home-plate umpire James Hoye called the runner out. Sosa looked around in shock that the throw -- which came from just shy of the warning track in left field -- beat him to the dish.

But it all went for naught after a lengthy review ruled that Fortes illegally blocked the plate.

"I would disagree [with the call]," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. "But I know they're cracking down on it from the standpoint of where guys are setting up. But I looked at it, it looks like he's on the inside of the line, he's got a plate to slide to and the ball basically -- you're allowed to move to catch the ball."

And that's where the issue arises.

As Fortes set up in front of the plate, he took one step to his left as he prepared to field Anderson's throw. Fortes' left foot was then ruled to have blocked Sosa's path to the plate.

"It was just kind of an unfortunate situation," Fortes said. "The throw was kind of taking me up the line, so I kind of just stepped in front, grabbed the ball and made the tag. Unfortunately, that's just the rule: You've got to give him a lane."

Anderson thought Fortes did all he could on the play, both from his initial vantage point in left field and as he watched the replay on loop on the left-field scoreboard during the lengthy review.

"The guy was out," Anderson said. "I don't know what the terminology is they used or what the rulebook defines as blocking the plate or whatever it is they were using. But to me, it looked like a really good play by Nick to catch the ball and put that tag down."

That terminology is laid out in Rule 6.01(i)(2), which states:

Unless the catcher is in possession of the ball, the catcher cannot block the pathway of the runner as he is attempting to score. If, in the judgment of the umpire, the catcher without possession of the ball blocks the pathway of the runner, the umpire shall call or signal the runner safe. Not withstanding the above, it shall not be considered a violation of this Rule 6.01(i)(2) if the catcher blocks the pathway of the runner in a legitimate attempt to field the throw (e.g., in reaction to the direction, trajectory or the hop of the incoming throw, or in reaction to a throw that originates from a pitcher or drawn-in infielder). In addition, a catcher without possession of the ball shall not be adjudged to violate this Rule 6.01(i)(2) if the runner could have avoided the collision with the catcher (or other player covering home plate) by sliding.

Knowing that rule, Fortes admitted that he was caught off guard by the announcement that the call had been overturned.

“I was a little surprised, because I took the step and then I caught the ball before he had made it to the plate,” Fortes said. “So I thought I had the ball -- and the rule is, if you have the ball, then you can block the plate. So I had the ball before he made it to home plate, so I thought that was OK. But I guess I didn't originally give him the lane before I caught the ball, so yeah, I was a little bit surprised.”

Luzardo, who had nine strikeouts over seven innings of two-run ball, had arguably the best view of anyone outside of the home-plate umpire.

“I have a lot of thoughts about that one, but it was a great play,” Luzardo said. “I let Andy know that was one of the best plays I've seen in my time in the big leagues.”

Though Anderson tied the game in the eighth inning on a sacrifice fly of his own, the Phillies ultimately walked it off on another bizarre sequence involving Anderson in the ninth.

With one out, Bryce Harper hit a towering popup down the left-field line. He slammed his bat down and jogged slowly up the line as Anderson -- who had been playing no-doubles defense just shy of the warning track -- darted toward the line. Just as he appeared to settle under the ball, however, Anderson slipped and the ball fell in for a double. Harper scored the winning run on Jean Segura’s walk-off single two batters later.

“I got over there, I thought I could make a play on it and unfortunately I wasn't able to get it or keep him from getting to second,” Anderson said. “And it ended up costing us the game.”

It was a fitting ending to a strange game that also included a pair of hit-by-pitch challenges in the eighth inning that both went against the Marlins on their way to an eighth straight loss.

“It seems like that's kind of what teams that are losing a lot -- those are the kinds of things that happen to you in this kind of game,” Mattingly said. “When you're winning, you get the other side of that.”