SEATTLE (AP) — Seattle’s Victor Robles is well known for being aggressive on the bases. This time he got a little too aggressive at a questionable time.
Robles was thrown out trying to steal home with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the first inning on Tuesday night against the New York Yankees. What made the decision more egregious was Justin Turner was at the plate with a 3-0 count against Yankees starter Luis Gil when Robles made his failed dash to try and get Seattle on the board.
It ultimately didn't matter in an 11-2 Yankees victory. But the play clearly changed the tenor of the game early on.
“He was delaying from first a lot and we were kind of aware of him over there, like, he could do something. But 3-0 count, that felt like a big break, a little bit of a gift for us there,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.
Gil struggled badly with control and needed 24 pitches to record three outs. He had just missed high and inside to Turner and was standing behind the mound when Robles broke for home plate. Gil reacted in time to get the ball to catcher Austin Wells and the tag was applied just before Robles’ hand touched the plate.
“It's a surprise-type play there where you try and take home plate and in that moment you just want to execute a good throw to the catcher — execute accurately so that we can get him out,” Gil said through an interpreter.
Seattle opted against a replay review and manager Dan Wilson appeared to check with home plate umpire Jeremy Rehak to see if Turner had possibly called time, but the play stood and Gil escaped the inning.
It was the first time Robles has been caught stealing since joining the Mariners. He was 25 for 25 on steals prior to the play.
“Vic is an aggressive player, there’s no doubt. And that’s part of his game,” Wilson said. "That’s a situation where you’ve got to know you’re going to make it.”
Robles, who was the designated hitter, was replaced by Mitch Garver when his turn in the order came up in the third inning due to a right hand contusion. Robles was hit on the hand by Gil's first pitch of the game — the sixth time in the past nine games Robles had been hit by a pitch.
The Mariners said X-rays on Robles' hand were negative.
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