KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Rick Sofield, the Pirates’ energetic and enigmatic third-base coach, lost a little sleep Tuesday night after sending Starling Marte home with no outs in the ninth inning. Marte was cut down by a perfect relay from the center-field wall, and the Kansas City Royals held on for a 3-1 win.
“Didn’t turn out very good,” Sofield said Wednesday. “It turned out to be a bad play on my part. I take full responsibility.”
Down three runs and with Marte on first with a leadoff single, Jung Ho Kang doubled over center fielder Lorenzo Cain’s head.