Elliott: Dieppe runners safe at home … going and coming

Phil Martin (24) returns to slide into the plate while Pat Cormier slides in safely as the Dieppe Cardinals won in New Brunswick 9u play.

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

It is true when they say “you can always see something you have never seen at the ballpark.”

Like the other night the Boston Red Sox had runners on the corners down 2-0 to the Toronto Blue Jays looked as if the gap had been narrowed to a 2-1 on a bizarre play in the seventh.

With runners at the corners and one out -- although the scoreboard showed two were out -- Ceddanne Rafaela lofted a fly to centre. Thinking there were two outs when the ball was hit, however, neither Anthony Seigler at third base nor Nick Sogard at first tagged up properly. Both took off with the ball in the air, and after it was caught Sogard was doubled off first for the third out of the inning.

Seigler crossed home plate and a 17-minute delay ensued. Apparently since the Blue Jays left the field they could not return and appeal to third that the runner had not tagged. Had they thrown the ball to third it would have been an inning-ending double play without the run scoring.

You think that is bizarre? How about this one.

In 9U play, the Dieppe Cardinals were playing the Kent-Sud Expos.

Phil Martin was on base and Pat Cormier was at the plate. Cormier hit the ball over the left fielder’s head and he got on his horse ... rounding second ... rounding third ,.. and heading home.

Martin scored, but there may have been a play at the plate on Cormier. Now, an 9U dugout can get loud.

“SLIDE! SLIDE!”

Cormier slid in safely with his inside-the-park homer ... but Martin heard the SLIDE yells too. He retreated to the plate and slid in from foul territory.

Dieppe won 6-0.