Blue Jays overcome 4-1 deficit to beat Orioles 6-4 after controversial safe call at second base

The Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Baltimore Orioles 6-4 on June 7, 2026 in Toronto after a disputed play in the sixth inning allowed the home team to rally from a three-run deficit. The Orioles led 4-1 when Ernie Clement reached base on a fielding error by shortstop Gunnar Henderson. With runners at first and third, Brandon Valenzuela hit a bouncer up the middle.

Henderson fielded the ball and reached out to tag Clement, who swerved to his right and dodged the tag attempt before Henderson threw to first base to retire Valenzuela. Second-base umpire Nic Lentz ruled Clement safe at second base. "The runner has the right to establish his basepath, and so Clement had established his basepath to avoid the fielder from potential interference," Lentz told a pool reporter.

" "That was a new one for me," he said. " Orioles manager Craig Albernaz argued the call, stating that sticking the glove out constitutes an attempted tag. "I think when you stick your glove out to tag somebody, that's an attempted tag," Albernaz said.

" "He was getting out of the way to allow the fielder to make the play towards first base," Wendelstedt said. Kazuma Okamoto, Andres Giménez and Nathan Lukes each recorded an RBI hit after the play, giving Toronto the lead. Orioles right-hander Shane Baz exited after the hits from Okamoto and Giménez and yelled at the umpires as he walked off the field.

In the ninth inning, Orioles infielder Jackson Holliday was called out for leaving the baseline between home and first while trying to avoid a tag from pitcher Louis Varland. "The runner had not established his basepath, and then he deviated more than 3 feet to avoid that tag," Wendelstedt explained.