Advertisement

Chaos ensues in Toronto after Rangers score controversial run in Game 5

Big League Stew

TORONTO – The Texas Rangers scored one of the strangest runs ever in Wednesday's ALDS Game 5 against the Toronto Blue Jays that will dominate the headlines regardless of the result. It was just the start of one unforgettable inning.

Rougned Odor scored from third in the top of the seventh inning after a throw back from Blue Jays catcher Russell Martin to pitcher Aaron Sanchez deflected off Shin-Soo Choo's bat and dribbled down the third-base line. Choo was standing in the batter's box and unaware of the throw back. Realizing that the ball was in play, Odor raced in from third to score a run that would put Texas up 3-2. Initially told to return to third base, the umpires conferred and decided that the ball was live and that Odor's run would count.

According to rule 603(a)(3) in MLB's rulebook, it was the correct call:

"However, if the batter is standing in the batter's box and he or his bat is struck by the catcher's throw back to the pitcher (or throw attempting to retire a runner) and, in the umpire's judgement, there is no intent on the part of the batter to interfere with the throw, the ball is alive and in play."

[Look: Harold Reynolds apologizes for saying Canadians can't catch foul balls]

The fans in Toronto jeered loudly and pelted the field with debris, despite pleas from the players to stop. The Blue Jays are officially playing the rest of the game under protest and Mark Buehrle, who isn't even on Toronto's postseason roster, was the only player ejected.

It didn't take long for the game to take another drastic turn. Toronto took a 6-3 lead in the bottom of the seventh, scoring four runs after the Rangers committed three errors in the infield. Josh Donaldson drove in a run with an RBI fielder's choice to tie the game and Jose Bautista followed with a deep blast to left field to add three more and put the Blue Jays in front. The fans once again threw trash from the stands. Wiith emotions running so high, it was only a matter of time before the benches and bullpens cleared. And for good measure, they cleared twice. It might be a while before we see another inning like this one.

More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports:

- - - - - - -

Israel Fehr is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at israelfehr@yahoo.ca or follow him on Twitter.