Twins manager Rocco Baldelli complimented veteran umpire Angel Hernandez after Tuesday's game for his determination to get an unusual call correct.
With runners on first and second and two out in the seventh inning, Tyler Duffey threw a curveball that ricocheted to the left of Carlos Correa in the righthanded batter's box. Correa, perhaps trying to help and forgetting that runners were on base, stuck his hand out and touched the ball as it flew by. The runners moved up, and Baldelli went to Hernandez to complain.
"He initially disagreed, and thought that it was almost like an inconsequential touch, essentially, of the ball. But I just asked him to talk to Dana [DeMuth, the crew chief] and talk to the umpires," Baldelli said. "He doesn't have to do that. He actually said, 'I'm happy to do it,' and they went over there and conferred."
After a minute-long conference, the umpires reached a decision: Correa was out for obstruction of a live ball, and the inning was over.
PHIL MILLER
