MINNEAPOLIS — Major League Baseball on Wednesday overturned a controversial scoring call and awarded David Ortiz a single in the seventh inning of last Friday’s game against Texas.
With Texas righthander Yu Darvish working on a perfect game with two outs in the seventh, Ortiz hit a popup to shallow right field that fell behind second baseman Rougned Odor and in front of right fielder Alex Rios.
Such plays are normally credited as hits. But official scorer Steve Weller charged Rios with an error, saying he believed the right fielder had called for the ball and could have made the catch with a normal effort.
Advertisement
Rios said later he did not call for the ball. Ortiz had a clean single with two outs in the ninth inning to break up the no-hitter.
Ortiz said he would not have appealed the call had Darvish finished off the no-hitter. But with the no-hitter not a factor, Ortiz had his agent, Fernando Cuza, file the appeal with Major League Baseball.
The Red Sox questioned the call when it was made and supported the appeal.
“I thought it was a hit in the moment,” manager John Farrell said. “Upon further review, obviously, they changed it. I think in the end the right call has been had.”
The decision came from the office of MLB executive vice president of baseball operations Joe Torre. MLB confirmed the scoring change without explanation, as is customary.
Reviewing calls is routine. Earlier this season, the Yankees asked for a review of a call at Yankee Stadium that led to Jacoby Ellsbury being given a double on a play that was initially ruled a single and an error on Red Sox center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr.
With the hit, Ortiz’s batting average rose from .287 to .294.
Peter Abraham can be reached at pabraham@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @peteabe.
Advertisement