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The Toronto Blue Jays are facing the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night as the teams start a three-game series. It has been a pitcher’s duel with the score tied 0-0 in the bottom of the seventh. Cincinnati had a runner on first, and Will Benson had a 3-0 count at the plate. Benson pops one up to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on the infield. Vladdy lets the ball drop, gets Benson on the force out at first and then a startled Reds runner trying to make it to second.
This is chess, not checkers pic.twitter.com/nUqyGXRNGo
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) August 19, 2023
While it may seem like the base runner on first is to blame, there wasn’t much he could do. When Guerrero Jr lets the ball fall, he can take off for second or stay on first. If he stays on first, Guerrero can still toss the ball over and then tag the runner, then the base and still complete the double play. The problem comes when Benson trots halfway down the line and turns toward the dugout. If he gets to first base, there is a chance that they could have kept a runner on and avoided the second out, but still a heads up play by Guerrero to get two.