It’s a wrong Turner for Justin in Dodger loss

How bizarre. In the top of the third inning of a game between the Dodgers and the Rockies at Coors Field, center fielder Cody Bellinger knocked a long ball just over the wall with third baseman Justin Turner at first. It seemed like an exceptional start to the season for Bellinger and the Dodgers. But what would have been two runs turned into just one in an 8-5 Opening Day loss for the defending World Series champs.

When the ball left Bellinger’s bat for the outfield, Raimel Tapia, the Rockies’ left fielder, chased it down and nearly stole the homer from Bellinger. Slowed down video showed Tapia get his glove on the ball but he was unable to secure the catch. From Turner’s spot on the field, the ball appeared to be caught for an out. He never saw the ball escape Tapia’s glove.

Turner, who was already rounding second, once he saw the ball hit

Tapia’s glove, turned and sprinted back toward first, past Bellinger. Bellinger was already on his way to second trying to get Turner’s attention to turn back around to go home. As soon as Bellinger ran past Turner, the umpires started to signal and the two runners idled, trying to figure out the call.

MLB rules dictate that if runners pass each other on the base paths, the runner who did the passing is out. In this case, Turner was the runner in front and Bellinger passed him.

Belliner was credited with a single and RBI, but not a home run.

“I don’t think there was blame to be placed,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “They kind of got crossed. I don’t think it’s going to happen again this year.”

This doesn’t happen often in the league. The last time if did was back in April of 2019 in a game between the Tigers and the White Sox and the last time it happened in the minors was back in 1924, according to RetroSheet.