TORONTO — After a bizarre top of the seventh inning in Game 5 of the American League Division Series on Wednesday, things got even stranger in the bottom half, as the Blue Jays came from behind to take a 6-3 lead on the Rangers in a rally highlighted by three Texas errors and a three-run homer by Jose Bautista.
It started with a ground ball by catcher Russell Martin, whose controversial error in the top of the inning allowed the Rangers to score the tiebreaking run. Error on shortstop Elvis Andrus.
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Kevin Pillar hit a ground ball to first base for what should have been a potential double play. Spiked throw, not handled by Andrus, error on Mitch Moreland.
Bunt by Ryan Goins, picked up by Adrian Beltre and thrown to third base. Dropped by Andrus, error on Andrus.
Finally, the Rangers got an out when Ben Revere hit a ball to first base that Moreland threw home for a force, smartly not involving Andrus. Pinch runner Dalton Pompey was out, but even that play required a video review because the Rangers contended that Pompey’s slide was an illegal collision with catcher Chris Gimenez. It was not.
After Sam Dyson came from the bullpen to relieve Cole Hamels, Josh Donaldson hit what should have been the fifth out of the inning, a looping fly that second baseman Rougned Odor should have caught, but did not. Because it dropped in, Pillar was able to score easily, although Odor did recover to get an out by throwing to Andrus, who held on at second for the force on Revere.
Jose Bautista then crushed a three-run homer to break the tie, sparking a revival of garbage-throwing onto the field from the top of the inning.
Edwin Encarnacion, the next batter, pleaded for the crowd to settle down, but something set off tensions between the teams, and the benches and bullpens cleared.
Now this is happening. pic.twitter.com/Y2G4hHazXS
— Jesse Spector (@jessespector) October 14, 2015Order was restored without any punches being thrown, but there was a significant delay for field cleanup. When play resumed, Encarnacion got an infield hit and Chris Colabello followed with a sharp single to right before Troy Tulowitzki finally popped up to end the inning.
The benches cleared again at the end of the inning, but again, order was restored without any major altercations.