Umpire Odds & Ends: Rangers Squeeze Bunt or Foul Ball?

The Texas Rangers defeated the Detroit Tigers in 11 innings on Sunday, thanks in part to a crafty 11th inning bunt from second baseman Alberto Gonzalez that scored baserunner Nelson Cruz to break a 2-2 tie and put Texas in front for good.

HP Umpire Tim Welke (#3) confers with his crew

With no Tiger covering first, Detroit stood in awe as the Rangers celebrated a go-ahead score. Meanwhile, Tigers manager Jim Leyland exited Detroit's third base dugout and headed straight for home plate umpire Tim Welke, claiming that Gonzalez's bunt had hit the batter's right thigh and should have been ruled a foul ball.

After umpire consultation, Welke and his crew of Paul Schrieber and Mikes Estabrook and Everitt determined the ball did not strike the batter and the play stood as an RBI, infield single. After the game, Welke explained his call: "We did not see the ball hit anybody on the field. You can decide whatever you want and deduce from that. We called what we saw and we didn't see him get hit."

While this type of play and call is sure to get proponents of expanded instant replay review riled up, Leyland remains firmly in the umpires' corner, even if the call did ultimately hurt his squad: "I've always liked the fact that we don't have replay."

Leyland has been adamently opposed to the expansion of replay, even after Armando Galarraga lost his perfect game on June 2, 2010, after the Indians' 27th batter—Jason Donald—was ruled safe on an infield single by first base umpire Jim Joyce. After the game, Joyce admitted he had blown the call, kicking off a series of tremendous sportsmanship by the Galarraga, the Tigers and Joyce, culminating in the book Nobody's Perfect, penned by Galarraga and Joyce and released in 2011.

Wrap: Tigers at Rangers 4/22/12
Video: Squeeze play scores eventual winning run, turns into base hit for Texas' Gonzalez