The slide looked dirty, at least to some, but it probably wasn't. Regardless of the intent, Jordy Mercer of the Pirates sustained what appeared to be a serious injury to his left leg in the second inning Sunday after Carlos Gomez of the Brewers slid hard in order to break up a double play.

Watch:

If you were watching the game and communicating on Twitter at the time, you might have noticed vitriol for Gomez. Many fans (and some media) called Gomez, and the slide, "dirty," or words to that effect. Others were, somewhat paradoxically, calling for Pirates pitcher Jeff Locke to hit Gomez with a purpose pitch at the next opportunity (which did not happen).

However, the collective emotional reaction of many Pirates fans was noted by seminal Pirates blogger Pat Lackey:

Lackey didn't like the Gomez slide, either, it should be pointed out. And it certainly looked... odd.


The first thing that sticks out: The slide happened 10 feet from the second-base bag. With Gomez at first and Adam Lind at-bat, the Pirates went into a defensive shift, with Mercer playing to the right of second base. Lind hit a grounder to second and Mercer wandered toward Gomez for an apparent tag/double-play attempt. With Mercer in his path, Gomez went into a hard slide, apparently, to reduce a chance of a double play being turned. Mercer reached down for a tag, but his left leg was caught in the dirt with Gomez using his own legs to take him out. No throw to first was made, and Mercer was on the floor in apparent pain. Shortly thereafter, an athletic trainer's cart came out, and medical staff took Mercer away. 

The Pirates broadcast says it's a "lower" left leg injury -- not, apparently, the knee. It still could be serious, but no knee almost always is better.

Carlos Gomez and Jordy Mercer
Jordy Mercer (left) sustained a lower-leg injury on a slide by Carlos Gomez. (USATSI)

It's a shame, for sure, that Mercer was injured. But it was an accident. Gomez had the right to run, slide, whatever his way toward second base, and Mercer was in the way. Gomez could have pulled up in order to (try and) avoid contact altogether, but Mercer also could have lunged for him, tagged him and thrown to first. By sliding, Gomez perhaps forces Mercer into making a wild throw. Sliding wasn't his only option -- and it might not have been the best way to go -- but it was a reasonable decision. Not against the rules and, probably, not dirty (though only Gomez knows for sure).

The Brewers have pulled ahead of the Pirates in the seventh inning, so perhaps there's more related drama coming. But the Pirates didn't seem to take an issue with Gomez. Yet, anyway.