The top of the eighth inning was over: to begin with. As far as MASN was concerned, there was no doubt whatever about that. Adley Rutschman grounded into a double play, second base to shortstop to first base, erasing a runner and ending the inning. The network went to a commercial. The Orioles were close to dead as a door-nail. This must be distinctly understood, or nothing wonderful can come of the story that I am about to relate.
When that commercial break ended, instead of the Red Sox coming up to bat as the start of the bottom of the eighth inning, with the Orioles trailing 2-1, it was Anthony Santander at bat.