SAFE AT HOME: Blue Jays are called and win in a controversial ending

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MINNEAPOLIS — It was playoff-style action in August, four back-and-forth games, more than 14 hours of gameplay to get it in the game and a fiasco of a degree to wrap it all up.

The Blue Jays snuck out of target field on Sunday with a 3-2 extra-innings win to secure a 2-2 series split with the AL Central-leading Twins.

And what an escape it was.

They did so in part thanks to a controversial – albeit technically correct – video review for an overturned call to rule Whit Merrifield safe at home after Twins catcher Gary Sanchez was found to be illegally blocking the plate.

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That New York verdict sparked one of the truly great managerial crises of modern times when the Twins’ Rocco Baldelli almost went insane after that 10th inning out call on the plate was undone by video evaluation.

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“That was probably one of the ugliest things I’ve ever seen done to a team on a baseball field,” Baldelli said afterwards. “And for someone to intervene in this situation and ultimately make a decision that blocked the plate… that’s Beyoembarrassing for our game.

“(It’s embarrassing) for the players out there on both sides of the field who are working their asses off the whole game.”

The Jays were, as might be expected, much more of the chicken salad than chicken poop opinion, an end result that allowed them to overcome a 2-1 lead through closer Jordan Romano late in the ninth game.

From the wording of the rule, the decision could certainly be seen as correct, although the interpretation was certainly a big judgment for two teams preparing for the upcoming playoff races – and playing that way all weekend.

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It was clearly a sweet ending for the Jays, who are 3-3 in six games of a nine-game road trip and are part of a 19-game streak against opponents with winning records.

“Maybe a little,” said John Schneider, Jays interim manager, when asked if he was surprised the call to secure the winning run was lifted. “But I think the call was right.”

So does Merrifield, an accomplished, fast runner who made a big impression on his first weekend with the Jays. His instincts were spot on as he moved from second to third with a sacrifice in the 10th and again with the insane sprint home with another flyball into the outfield.

“I had a feeling there was going to be a game at the plate,” Merrifield began in his description of what was happening. “I put my head down, the first few steps, looked up and saw Gary sitting on home plate – I was just trying to slide right into him as best I could.

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“I know the rule. I think they rightly called it. I thought it should be repealed. Obviously it’s an important point in the game and you don’t want it to boil down to a rules decision, but the rules are there for a reason.

“He has to give me a lane to slide into and I didn’t think I had one. I’m glad they made the right choice.”

Baldelli, of course, disagreed. Heartfelt (and profane), one might say.

“They played the field, that’s the right call that everyone in all of baseball — including the umps — knows is the right call,” Baldelli said. “And someone in New York decided it was worth knocking over on the field. It’s (beeps) terrible.”

However, Schneider had no doubts about what he was challenging as he saw the same thing as Merrifield – a blocked lane at the plate.

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Ultimately, it was a decision that could have gone either way, one that ended a hugely exciting streak between two teams who were hoping for a lot more of the same in the coming weeks. The Jays recorded their 60th win, going 4-6 in extra-innings games.

But numbers and controversy aside, they felt the intensity of a showdown with a high-profile opponent at a season when the intensity is beginning to rise.

“I’m so excited to play in a playoff race and do things that I know will help my team win games,” said Merrifield, who had hits in each of his three games as Jay and the base -Running skills added in his fourth. “When the opportunity arises and I’m on the bases, I know I can wreak some havoc with my legs. I feel like things like that are valuable for a team with this talent, especially at this time of year.

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“It felt like one of the bigger shows I’ve been on for a while, so it was kind of fun.”

In what seemed like hours before the chaos began, Jay’s starter Kevin Gausman pitched six scoreless innings, conceding six hits and knocking out five. In the 14 innings he played in his last two starts, the talented right-hander is yet to give up a run.

You will need more outstanding effort, especially with a bullpen that is in full grinding mode. But character gains – even ones that are controversially tinged – have value as the season progresses deeper.

“Coming out of a game like this with a split – that’s a good team – hopefully they’ll make it through a bit,” said Schneider. “Being in those spots is really good for a team. If we’re going to get where we’re going, it’s going to take a lot more of that.”