The Toronto Blue Jays beat the Baltimore Orioles 6-4 in the final game of their three-game series on Sunday, June 7, 2026 [1, 2]. The pivotal moment came in the bottom of the sixth inning when Baltimore held a 4-1 lead.
With runners on first and third, Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson fielded a ground ball and got the batter out at first base. Henderson then went to tag Ernie Clement, who was attempting to advance from first to second to complete a double play [1, 2]. Clement veered widely away from the base path to avoid the tag [1, 2].
Second base umpire Nic Lentz ruled Clement safe, deciding his wide deviation was an effort to avoid interfering with the fielder fielding the ball rather than an illegal attempt to evade the tag. Lentz stated, "The runner has the right to establish his base path, and so Clement had established his base path to avoid the fielder from potential interference... it was not out of the baseline." [2]
Baseball rule 5.09(b)(1) says a runner is out if he runs more than three feet away from the base path to avoid a tag unless avoiding interference with a fielder fielding a batted ball. The base path is the straight line from runner to base at the moment of the tag attempt [1].
Orioles manager Craig Albernaz disagreed with the call, arguing Henderson made a valid tag attempt by extending his glove, and Clement did not have the right to deviate so far from the baseline. Albernaz said, "I think when you stick your glove out to tag somebody, that’s an attempted tag. There’s no rule about how far you have to extend your arm to tag somebody." [2].
Henderson called the call "not a great call. Super frustrating," while Orioles pitcher Shane Baz, who gave up five runs (one earned) in 5 2/3 innings, expressed his frustration but declined to elaborate to avoid a fine [2].
Umpire Lentz and others maintained that Clement’s movement was allowed since it avoided interference with the fielder. Former umpire Hunter Wendelstedt commented, "Clement moving out of the path was a very gentlemanly thing to do. He was getting out of the way to allow the fielder to make the play towards first base." [2]
The call shifted momentum in the game, turning a 4-0 Orioles lead into a 5-4 Blue Jays advantage during that inning [1].
The Blue Jays continued their rally to secure a 6-4 victory over Baltimore, sealing the series win on Sunday. The controversy around the tag play remains a talking point in postgame discussion [1, 2].
