Oscar Mercado was awarded home plate on a fielder’s obstruction call for the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, and the Cleveland Indians rallied past the Boston Red Sox 7-5 Sunday.
The Indians trailed 4-0 and didn’t have a hit against Boston rookie Tanner Houck until José Ramirez homered with one out in the sixth.
Mercado then singled and Yu Chang followed with a double down the left field line. Mercado appeared to be thrown out at home, but plate umpire Nic Lentz immediately ruled that Boston second baseman Yairo Munoz had impeded Mercado’s progress on the basepaths.
Munoz was moving toward the left side of the infield as the play developed and Mercado bumped into him after rounding second base. Mercado also had a narrow brush getting past Davis, who had gone over to cover third.
“I kind of pushed the second baseman out of the way because all that was on my mind was to score,” Mercado said. “There were actually two interferences on the play because I got hit at third, too, so I knew right away what the call was.”
Myles Straw subsequently singled in Chang for an insurance run.