Rangers manager Bruce Bochy was ejected after disputing an overturned strike three call on Twins’ Edouard Julien, leading to a run for the Twins. Third base umpire Erich Bacchus ruled that Julien’s foul tip hit the dirt, which prolonged the at-bat and allowed the Twins to score.
Bochy expressed his frustration after the game, stating, “It was a blown call,” and lamenting missing the end of the game as the Twins defeated Texas 5-3 at Target Field. Home plate umpire Laz Diaz initially called Julien out on a foul tip caught by catcher Jonah Heim, but Bacchus overruled, asserting the ball had bounced. Bochy, ejected by Diaz for his protests, argued that Bacchus couldn’t have had a clear view to overturn the call, noting it was his second ejection this year and the 83rd of his career.
The sequence allowed Julien to walk, moving runners up, and Carlos Correa’s subsequent sacrifice fly scored a run that would have ended the inning if the original call had stood. Bochy remarked, “That was a big run. It cost us a run,” emphasizing that the ball didn’t hit the dirt as Bacchus claimed.
Meanwhile, Twins fans lined up early for a Jhoan Duran bobblehead giveaway, which featured a recording of his entrance music. Duran, who secured his sixth save with just eight pitches, appreciated the giveaway despite minor inaccuracies in its design.
Additionally, for the second consecutive game, a Twins runner was thrown out at home. Carlos Santana was tagged out following a single by Jose Miranda, with Ezequiel Duran making a perfect throw from left field. Bench coach Jayce Tingler praised the throw and confirmed the Twins’ challenge to the call was unsuccessful.
In other news, Royce Lewis started his rehab assignment with the Saints, contributing to a 7-0 victory, and Twins Hall of Famer Joe Nathan attended the team’s recent games while in Minnesota with his son, who is training for college baseball.
