Call tagged a mistake

Had first base umpire Rick Reed gotten an easy chair and a television replay -- like those of you watching at home -- he might have come to the same conclusion that most everyone else (including pitcher Jarrod Washburn, first baseman Richie Sexson, and baserunner Jason Varitek) did. On that funky play in the first inning yesterday -- just one of many in the 3-2 Red Sox win -- Varitek was, in fact, tagged out by Sexson.

That would have erased the second run of the inning, the first E5, and, quite possibly, the win.

But, without those amenities available to him as he tried to make the call, Reed ruled Varitek safe. And, while he knew he was out, Varitek wasn't about to alert Reed to that.

''[Sexson] made the play," Varitek said. ''I was just trying to avoid the tag. He hit me pretty solidly. There's not much you can really say right there [to the umpire]. It happens."

Kevin Youkilis had started the inning by walking. Mark Loretta doubled to left, sending Youkilis to third. David Ortiz then popped to third, and Manny Ramírez grounded out, first baseman unassisted, scoring Youkilis and sending Loretta to third. So when Varitek stepped to the plate there were two outs, a run in, and a man on third.

On a 3-and-1 pitch, Varitek sent a ground ball to third baseman Adrian Beltre (charged with both of the Mariners' errors), whose throw drew Sexson off the bag. But, ball in glove, Sexson reached over to a contorted Varitek, who was trying to avoid the tag by sliding around it, and tagged him. (On some replays it appeared as if Varitek's hand never touched the bag, but the catcher said he was ''pretty sure" he grabbed some of the base.)

After the game, no one was arguing, though Seattle manager Mike Hargrove -- who later declined to comment on the play -- made his case on the field. Reed, the crew chief, didn't ask for opinions, deciding against polling the other members of his crew, despite seemingly not being in the best position to make the call.

''I feel like I tagged him pretty good," Sexson said. ''I don't know what it looked like on TV. I felt like I got him pretty good. That's what stunned me. I think [Varitek] knew it, too, because I think he started walking back to the dugout, then walked back.

''Everybody makes mistakes, I guess."

This one, though, was a game-changer, especially as the innings ticked away and neither team put up much of an attack.

''I had a pretty good view," Washburn said. ''Adrian made a great play and threw the ball to first. Rich tagged him. [The umpire's] angle or something, maybe he couldn't see that he tagged him. It's unfortunate that it worked out that way for us."

And fortunate for the Red Sox.

Varitek seemed to be fine with taking the bit of help.

''It's part of the game," he said. ''Sometimes the umpires miss calls at home plate. They make calls. They call pitches sometimes balls, strikes. That's part of the game. You hate for it to be a turning point in the game or a difference. Fact of the matter is, a guy made a great play at third and he had to pull [Sexson] off the bag. I'm sure the replay shows it pretty good."

It does. And Sexson, who was subdued after the game, could say little about it. All he had was the knowledge that his glove had made contact with Varitek on his way to first base.

''Yeah, I got him," he said. ''Got him pretty good."