The Clearwater Threshers and the Tampa Tarpons went head-to-head in the Florida State League on Monday night. After the two teams failed to score a run all night long, they needed to go to extra innings to decide on a winner and that’s when Minor League Baseball’s new ‘pace of play’ rule came into play in a massive way.
Since Class-A Advanced games only last 7 innings, the new rule states that teams will start the extra innings with a runner on second base. Here’s how it all went down for the Threshers in the eighth inning, via the Tampa Tarpons.
Clearwater (27-16, 59-52) did not have a base runner until Luke Williams became the extra-inning runner when the scoreless game moved into the eighth. RHP Christian Morris (L, 1-2) relieved Garcia and Henri Lartigue grounded a ball back to the mound. Williams broke for third and Morris threw to Diego Castillo at second. Castillo attempted to throw Williams out at third, but dropped the ball.
After a groundout by Edgar Cabral, Daniel Brito rolled one to first baseman Steven Sensley. Williams scored as Sensley’s throw to the plate arrived late, giving the Threshers a 1-0 lead. Morris got a strikeout and a groundout to keep Clearwater hitless.
The new pace of play rule definitely worked in a big way for the Clearwater Threshers as they managed to score a run and win the ball game without ever recording a hit throughout the night.
It doesn’t get any more devastating than that.
(H/T Twitter/Cut4)
