MLB Ejection 116 - Bill Miller (1; Joe Maddon)

HP Umpire Bill Miller ejected Cubs Manager Joe Maddon (batter-runner's lane interference; QOCY) in the bottom of the 7th inning of the Nationals-Cubs game. With none out and one on (R1), Cubs batter Willson Contreras bunted a 0-1 slider from Nationals pitcher Greg Holland on the ground to third baseman Anthony Rendon, who threw to first baseman Matt Adams as Contreras ran toward first base, ruled out for runner's lane interference by HP Umpire Miller. Replays indicate Contreras ran inside (to the left of) the foul line, thus out of the running lane, for the entirety of his journey to first base. By rule, the batter-runner is liable to be called out for interference if he fails to run within the runner's lane for the entire length of said runner's lane, the call was correct.* At the time of the ejection, the game was tied, 2-2. The Cubs ultimately won the contest, 3-2.

This is Bill Miller (26)'s first ejection of 2018.
Bill Miller now has 1 point in the UEFL Standings (-3 Prev + 2 MLB + 2 Correct Call = 1).
Crew Chief Bill Miller now has -7 points in Crew Division (-8 Previous + 1 Correct Call = -7).

*OBR 5.09(a)(11) states a batter is out when—"In running the last half of the distance from home base to first base, while the ball is being fielded to first base, he runs outside (to the right of) the three-foot line, or inside (to the left of) the foul line, and in the umpire’s judgment in so doing interferes with the fielder taking the throw at first base, in which case the ball is dead."
The runner may exit the lane "in the immediate vicinity of first base for the sole purpose of touching first base." However, the runner is not protected via this "exit" provision of Rule 5.09(a)(11) Comment if he isn't actually exiting the lane (e.g., if the runner is not within the lane from the beginning, he cannot physically "exit" it and, thus, isn't protected by the "exit" exemption).
Jim Evans Interpretation: "A runner who has advanced the entire distance from home plate to first in fair territory making no effort to run within the lane is not extended the same leniency as the runner who runs in the lane as required and then cuts into fair territory near the base to touch it."
Harry Wendelstedt Interpretation: "The determination is not whether the throw is true, but whether it could still reasonably retire the runner."

More About Runner's Lane Interference:
Related Post: Running Lane Interference and Advancing to 1st Base (9/6/15).
Related Post: Officially Speaking - Runner's Lane Interference (6/3/16).
Related Post: Officially Speaking - RLI No-Call, Part Deux (7/2/16).
Related Post: Angels Protest Cuzzi RLI No-Call in Kansas City [Denied] (7/27/16).
Related Post: Runner's Lane Interference Plagues Chicago's Heyward (5/24/17).

This is the 116th ejection report of the 2018 MLB regular season.
This is the 47th Manager ejection of 2018.
This is Chicago-NL's 7th ejection of 2018, 1st in the NL Central (CHC 7; MIL 4; CIN 3; PIT 2; STL 1).
This is Joe Maddon's 2nd ejection of 2018, 1st since July 21 (Will Little; QOC = Y [Check Swing]).
This is Bill Miller's first ejection since July 8, 2017 (Lorenzo Cain; QOC = N [Balls/Strikes]).

Wrap: Washington Nationals vs. Chicago Cubs, 8/10/18 | Video as follows:

Alternate Link: Maddon maddens after Miller makes major mandate for margin mistake (CHC)