Shohei Ohtani tag-out at home plate defines Dodgers road trip finale loss to Twins
Dino Ebel waved his arm. Shohei Ohtani churned his legs.
For a brief moment, as Ohtani barreled toward the plate, trying to score a tying run all the way from first base, it seemed like the Dodgers’ two-way star would make it.
Instead, in the defining moment of the team’s 3-2 loss at Target Field on Wednesday, the Minnesota Twins‘ defense turned a picture-perfect relay play.
“That’s as clean as it gets,” said Ebel, the Dodgers’ third-base coach. “They made a perfect throw.”
When the juggernaut Dodgers (10-5) lose games this year, it will likely often be because they get beat on the margins.
Read more: Tyler Glasnow strikes out 14 as Dodgers defeat the Twins
Some days it might come down to an underwhelming starting pitching performance. Other times, a bullpen blunder or bang-bang play on the bases.
In Wednesday’s series finale, the Twins (4-6) capitalized upon all three — stressing right-hander Bobby Miller in a four-inning, two-run start; taking the lead on an Edouard Julien home run against reliever Alex Vesia in the fifth; then holding on through a couple late-game scares, none bigger than their tag-out of Ohtani in the top of the seventh.
After a walk by Austin Barnes led off the inning, consecutive fielder’s choice grounders by Mookie Betts and Ohtani left the speedy two-time MVP standing on first base.
When Freeman ripped a double into the right-field corner with two outs, it looked like Ohtani would make it home safely.
Given his speed — he raced 270 feet in just 10.89 seconds — and the awkward first hop the ball took off the wall near the foul pole in right, both Ebel and manager Dave Roberts said waving Ohtani home was an easy decision.
“When I saw the bobble down in the corner … I said, ‘There it is,’” Ebel recounted.
“With two outs,” Roberts added, “you’ve got to make them make the play.”
Make a play, the Twins did.
Right fielder Alex Kirilloff quickly recovered and fired a relay throw to infielder Carlos Correa. Standing near the foul line in shallow right field, Correa then ripped a 92 mph throw to the plate.
Initially, Ohtani was ruled safe by home plate umpire Marvin Hudson.
Upon a challenge by the Twins, however, video review showed that catcher Christian Vázquez executed a perfect tag on Ohtani — who declined through a Dodgers public relations official to talk to reporters postgame — a split-second before his foot touched the plate.
“He aced a throw to home plate,” Roberts said of Correa. “If it was a little bit higher, he still would’ve been safe.”
Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.