CINCINNATI — Tempers flared late Tuesday night at Great American Ball Park as two Philadelphia Phillies coaches were ejected following a heated dispute over a controversial baserunning play during the eighth inning of the club’s 4-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
The incident overshadowed an otherwise dominant outing by Phillies ace Zack Wheeler, whose brilliant seven-inning performance included a career-tying 14 strikeouts while allowing just one run.
With Wheeler’s night complete, right-hander Orion Kerkering took over in the eighth inning looking to protect a three-run lead. After retiring the first batter, however, he issued consecutive walks to pinch-hitter Ivan Johnson and Reds star Elly De La Cruz, bringing the tying run to the plate.
The drama unfolded moments later when Sal Stewart hit a ground ball to Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm, who fired to Bryson Stott at second base in an attempt to force out De La Cruz. The speedy Cincinnati shortstop beat the throw, but instead of stopping on the bag, he sprinted several feet beyond second base before eventually returning safely without being tagged. Stewart was retired at first, completing only one out on the play.
Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly immediately questioned the legality of De La Cruz’s actions, believing the runner had abandoned the base after running too far beyond second. Mattingly later explained that Major League Baseball had reviewed this type of baserunning situation with teams during spring training.
According to Mattingly, players are permitted to run beyond second base to avoid a force play, but he believed they must make a clear move toward third base rather than continue running toward the outfield. In his view, De La Cruz never properly turned toward third, which should have resulted in an automatic out for abandoning the base.
The discussion quickly escalated as Mattingly spent several minutes on the field conferring with all four umpires, requesting that the play be reviewed. However, the crew informed him that the specific issue of base abandonment is not subject to replay review.
Crew chief Alfonso Márquez later clarified the ruling, explaining that replay could only determine whether the runner was safe or out on the force play. Whether a player abandoned the base path is strictly a judgment call by the umpires on the field and cannot be challenged through replay. Since De La Cruz returned to second base without being tagged, he remained safe.
Reds manager Terry Francona defended his shortstop’s awareness on the play, noting that although De La Cruz initially ran beyond the bag, he made a subtle jab step toward third base before returning. Francona credited that small movement for keeping the runner alive under the rule.
The explanation did little to calm the Phillies’ dugout.
Pitching coach Caleb Cotham became visibly frustrated, shouting at the umpiring crew from the dugout before being ejected. Moments later, infield coach Bobby Dickerson was also tossed after storming onto the field in an animated confrontation aimed at third-base umpire Lance Barrett. Dickerson had to be restrained before the situation escalated further.
The lengthy argument delayed play for several minutes and appeared to affect Kerkering’s rhythm. After the game resumed, the reliever walked JJ Bleday to load the bases, throwing his career-high 33rd pitch of the inning.
With the bases full and momentum shifting toward Cincinnati, the Phillies turned to reliever Jonathan Bowlan to escape the jam. Bowlan delivered under pressure, striking out Eugenio Suárez to end the inning and preserve Philadelphia’s three-run advantage.
Despite the late controversy and emotional ejections, the Phillies held on for the 4-1 win, with Wheeler’s outstanding start and Bowlan’s clutch relief helping Philadelphia secure another important victory. The bizarre eighth-inning sequence, however, became the night’s biggest talking point, reigniting discussion about one of baseball’s lesser-known baserunning rules.
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