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USATSI

The Washington Nationals lost in unusual fashion to the Houston Astros on Wednesday night when a throw from catcher Keibert Ruiz struck baserunner Jake Meyers. The ball caromed into no-man's land on the infield, thereby allowing the winning run to cross the plate before the defense could recover. 

After the game, Nationals manager Davey Martinez pleaded with Major League Baseball to change its basepaths rule as he showed photographic evidence of Meyers violating said rule on the play in question.

"There it is right there," Martinez told reporters, including the Associated Press. "Take a look at it. Is that on the line? I don't think so. I'm over this play. Seriously. They need to fix the rule. If this is what the umpire sees that he's running down the line, I'm tired of it. I'm tired of it. Fix it. We lost the game, and he had nothing to say about it because he can't make the right call. Brutal."

Here's how Rule 5.09a reads:

The lines marking the three-foot lane are a part of that lane and a batter-runner is required to have both feet within the three-foot lane or on the lines marking the lane. The batter-runner is permitted to exit the threefoot lane by means of a step, stride, reach or slide in the immediate vicinity of first base for the sole purpose of touching first base.  

And here's a look at the play, as well as the image Martinez showed during his press availability:

Martinez is, no doubt, more familiar with Rule 5.09a than most. 

He was ejected during Game 6 of the 2019 World Series -- also, coincidentally, played in Houston against the Astros -- when Trea Turner was called out on a similar play. In other words, this is not a particularly new crusade for Martinez.