The New York Mets secured a 10-2 win over the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday – thanks in part to a comical intervention by umpire Rob Drake.
At the top of the fifth inning at Citi Field, Colt Keith collided with the umpire – sending both Drake and the infielder’s helmet to the floor – as he attempted to dash towards home plate.
Had Keith made it, Detroit would have tied the game at 3-3. Instead, he was the final out of the inning and, from there, the Mets ran away with the game.
The chaotic play began when New York pitcher Freddy Peralta allowed a single to the Tigers’ Riley Greene. Keith, who started on first base, made it to third before Carson Benge’s throw was spilled by Brett Baty.
Keith then spotted his chance to go for home, only for the umpire – primed to make the call at third – to get in his way.Â
Despite the collision, the Tigers star stayed on his feet but failed to reach home plate before he was thrown out at home by Peralta.Â
Detroit did not score another run all night, whereas AJ Ewing gave the Mets the offensive jolt they were looking for throughout his impressive major league debut.
Colt Keith collided with umpire Rob Drake as he attempted to dash towards home plate
The Tigers star stayed on his feet but was thrown out at home by Mets pitcher Freddy Peralta
Catcher Francisco Alvarez doubled in the fourth and scored on Benge’s tiebreaking single, but was removed in the sixth after hitting a foul ball.Â
The speedy Ewing, meanwhile, laced an RBI triple in the seventh for his first career hit, becoming the first Mets player with a triple in his big league debut.Â
He also walked three times, scored twice, drove in two runs, stole a base and flied out to the center-field warning track.
Peralta (3-3) gave up a leadoff homer to Dillon Dingler in the second and a sacrifice fly to Spencer Torkelson later in the inning that gave Detroit a 2-0 lead.Â
But the right-hander worked out of trouble a couple of times and made a critical defensive play when he cut down Keith.
