« The Ochoa era ends | Main | More than you could ask for »

The old ground-rule single

Maybe Tito Francona was warming up for the arrival of Braves manager Bobby Cox, who has 128 ejections, three short of John McGraw's record. In any event, he went jaw to jaw with plate umpire Jerry Meals and 3B ump Gary Darling held the runners to one base after a fan gloved Mike Lowell's base hit past 3B and on to the field boxes.

Lots of times, the umps call it a ground-rule double, but in this case, with Manny, the runner at first, having just arrived at second, the umps evidently decided the ball would have kicked right out to LF Craig Monroe and allowed only a one-base advance. Tito wasn't buying it, but he gave up the argument before he got the thumb.

In the meantime, Jim Leyland brought in as lefty reliever, Tim Byrdak. Tito countered with Wily Mo Pena, who batted for Eric Hinske and whiffed (slider, swinging) and then Mirabelli went down swinging, too.

2-1, Sox, end of six. Julian back out there, but Oki and Donnelly are warming.