Umpire Jerry Meals admits he blew call in Red Sox-Rays game [video]

There is a lot of talk on the Internet today about how plate umpire Jerry Meals blew a call during the eighth inning of Tampa Bay’s 2-1 victory over Boston on Monday. One person in particular will agree with those critical of the ump: Jerry Meals.

Setting the scene: Trailing, 2-1, the Sox had Daniel Nava on third base with one out in the bottom of the eighth. Brandon Snyder hit a fly ball to left fielder Sam Fuld. Fuld threw home, the ball and Nava got to home plate about the same time and Nava was called out, ending the inning.

One problem: Replays showed Nava was safe, with his foot touching home plate before the tag was applied by catcher Jose Molina. Inning over, Red Sox lose, 2-1, and fall out of first place in the AL East.

After the game, Meals saw a replay and admitted his mistake.

“What I saw was: Molina blocked the plate and Nava’s foot lifted,” Meals said. “But in the replays, you could clearly see Nava’s foot got under for a split second and then lifted, so I was wrong on my decision. From the angle I had, I did not see his foot get under Molina’s shinguard.”

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