Diamondbacks backup catcher Adrian Del Castillo may have to go to the Keith Hernandez Faculty of Baseball after he missed a tag within the sixth inning of a tie recreation Wednesday evening.
Del Castillo had loads of time to tag out Starling Marte however whiffed on the tag, permitting the Mets to seize a one-run lead of their eventual back-breaking 8-5 loss in Phoenix.
“You’ve got to catch that ball and canopy the bag,” Hernandez added, radiating frustration with the backup catcher’s lack of elementary baseball. “It’s a la-di-da tag. It’s proper on the road. Get there and — you may block the plate after you’ve obtained the ball.”
“That’s only a horrible … horrible tag,” Hernandez concluded.
The Mets had battled again from a 4-0 gap to tie the sport at 4-all and had the speedy Marte on third with one out when Pete Alonso lofted a fly ball to left subject.
Marte raced outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr.’s throw to the plate, which got here in completely on one hop and offered ample time for Del Castillo to make the tag.
The Mets outfielder, although, creatively slid across the Diamondbacks catcher, who didn’t get in entrance of the plate for the incoming collision.
It’s laborious to argue that Marte would’ve been protected on the play had Del Castillo correctly performed the right throw from Gurriel, because the ball beat the runner in loads of time.
Del Castillo just isn’t the Diamondbacks’ regular backstop, with on a regular basis catcher Gabriel Moreno touchdown on the injured record early in August.
“Right here comes the throw on a hop, and Marte is protected,” Mets broadcaster Gary Cohen mentioned as Hernandez concurrently interjected with “dangerous tag.”
“An ideal throw by Gurriel on one hop to the plate, however Marte is ready to beat the tag with a head-first slide, and the Mets take the lead, 5-4.”
Marte’s artistic slide may’ve been the deciding issue within the recreation, but it surely went for naught.
Mets nearer Edwin Diaz imploded within the backside of the eighth inning when he threw eight of his first 10 pitches for balls earlier than he served up a go-ahead grand slam to Corbin Carroll.
New York now sits 4 video games again of the Atlanta Braves for the ultimate wild-card spot as they ship David Peterson to the mound Thursday afternoon in a digital must-win recreation.
