The Twins experienced an instant-replay teaching moment in the fifth inning Saturday when Ichiro Suzuki slid into second and was called safe with a stolen base.
Twins second baseman Brian Dozier, who took the throw from catcher Kurt Suzuki, didn't argue the call. "To be honest, after I scooped the throw I didn't know that I touched him, Dozier said. "I felt his arm hit my wrist a little."
But Dozier, indeed, had gotten the tag on Suzuki in time. Had the Twins challenged, the call would have been overturned.
Twins manager Ron Gardenhire was in his office watching the game — he was ejected in the third inning — and saw the replay.
"I saw it and I said right away, 'They are going to challenge that one,' " Gardenhire said.
The call from the dugout to video coordinator Sean Harlin's office never came. When Gardenhire investigated, he was told that Dozier's lack of reaction led to inaction. That was a big moment. Ichiro Suzuki went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a single for the Yankees' only run, in a game the Twins won 2-1 in 11 innings.
"Sometimes it's the reaction of the player when he's [saying], 'I'm safe,' when they are sliding into second base like Dozier has a couple times and he's out by 18 yards," Gardenhire said. "And I go out there and challenge and look like an idiot.
"You just have to go on every close play. That's the way it is set up, and they can give you a thumbs up or thumbs down. We talked about it in there. That was an experience for us."
