Baldelli on overturned call: 'I think it was pathetic what just played out'

MINNEAPOLIS — Cavan Biggio hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning and Whit Merrifield scored on an overturned call to lead the Blue Jays to a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Sunday and split the four-game series.

Merrifield was originally called out at the plate, but the call was reversed after Twins catcher Gary Sanchez was deemed to have interfered with Merrifield.

“It’s one of the worst moments I think we’ve seen of umpiring in any game I’ve ever been a part of in baseball, and I think it was pathetic what just played out,” said Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli, who was ejected for arguing the call, the eighth time in his career he was thrown out of a game and third this season.

Rocco Baldelli not holding back: "It's one of the worst moments I think we've seen of umpiring, in any game I've ever been a part of in baseball. I think it was pathetic." #MNTwins pic.twitter.com/mSX3q1kLrp

Replay officials ruled Sanchez did not establish a clear lane for Merrifield, whose right foot collided with Sanchez’s left leg as he slid into home plate. The out would have ended the inning.

“I had a feeling there was going to be a play at the plate,” Merrifield said. "Put my head down first couple steps then looked up and tried to figure out how to get into home plate and saw Gary straddling home plate so tried to just slide into him, straight into him best I could. I know what the rule is, it was just a matter of if they were going to call it.”

Sanchez argued that he did leave a path.

“He slid towards me. I’m just tagging him," Sanchez said. “I had the ball first. I think the line was open for him to slide to the side. He didn’t. It was a clean play.”

Toronto remained two games ahead of Tampa Bay for the top wild card in the