Ejected Bochy 'dumbfounded' by overturned call

CHICAGO — An overturned play at the plate that would produce the Chicago White Sox‘s winning run Tuesday night drew the ire of Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy, who labeled it “absolutely one of the worst calls I’ve ever seen.”

The White Sox rallied with three runs in the eighth inning to beat the Rangers 7-6, with Zach Remillard singling in Elvis Andrus with the go-ahead run on a play that was overturned by video review.

Remillard has had a busy first week in the majors: In his debut Saturday at Seattle, the 29-year-old infielder knocked in the tying run in the ninth and the winner in the 11th. This time, the finish was more controversial.

Andrus tied the score with a single off Grant Anderson that plated two runs with two outs. Remillard followed with a line drive to left field, and Andrus was initially called out at the plate by umpire D.J. Reyburn on Travis Jankowski‘s throw.

Bochy was ejected after the call was overturned, because catcher Jonah Heim was ruled to have blocked the plate illegally. Bochy was booted for the 80th time in his career.

“For that call to be made, I’m dumbfounded,” Bochy said. “It’s absolutely one of the worst calls I’ve ever seen and it was done by replay. I just don’t get it. I don’t care how many times they’ll try to explain it. You can’t do that in that situation. It’s a shame. It’s embarrassing, really.

“There was never any contact with the catcher. It was a sweep tag. I don’t get it. I really don’t. Again, I’m shocked. Jonah did a great job there. The throw took him to the left a little bit, sweep tag. I’m lost on this one. That’s a tough one to take.”

White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said he hadn’t seen a replay.

“All I can say is we challenged both,” Grifol said. “We challenged the play at the plate and blocking the plate.

“If New York felt that it was a violation, it probably was the initial [catcher] set up because that’s the rule.”

Heim was stunned.

“I asked the umpire what I could have done differently,” the catcher said. “I set up on the corners. I even backed up. I don’t know what else to do. It’s upsetting.

“I don’t know how you can block the plate from behind the plate.”

Remillard, however, was delighted with what turned out to be his second game-deciding hit in four games.

“At the end of the day, they enforce the rules,” he said. ‘We play the game and it went our way and we can enjoy it.”

Kendall Graveman pitched a scoreless ninth for his seventh save.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.