How did Bryce Harper swipe home on catcher's balk? Everything you need to know about the bizarre interference in Phillies' win

Philadelphia Phillies superstar Bryce Harper showed his presence of mind in the second game of the series against the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday.

During the bottom of the first inning, Harper, who was in a scoring position on third, stole home to score a run as the home plate umpire called for a catcher's interference. Red Sox catcher Carlos Narvaez had stepped in front of the plate without the ball.

According to the rules, if the catcher is on home plate or in front of the home plate without the ball, the pitcher will be charged with a balk and the batter will be awarded first base on catcher's interference.

The Phillies took a 2-0 lead in the first inning after that play and added two more runs in the second inning. They secured a 4-1 win to take the series.

Crew chief Quinn Wolcott explained home plate umpire Edwin Jimenez's call after the game.

"He had Narváez stepping on or above the plate before the pitch was received, essentially...," Wolcott said. "I would say that that constitutes a violation, because the purpose of the rule is to protect the hitter striking at the pitch, right? So he can’t invade the hitter’s space, either. Even if he were to come around the plate, it would still be a violation."

Red Sox manager Alex Cora reflects on Bryce Harper's bizarre play

This was the second straight night the Phillies scored on a catcher's interference. Monday's series opener saw Philadelphia register a walk-off win in the 10th inning after a catcher's interference with the bases loaded.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora wasn't pleased by the decision.

“In the beginning, we thought he called blocking the plate. After that, they got together and explained to me what happened,” said Cora. “Just weird, man. Two nights in a row, stuff I’ve never seen in my life, to be honest with you."

Carlos Narvaez, who clipped Edmundo Sosa's bat with his mitts on Monday, explained he was unaware of the rule.

“I just went up,“ Narvaez said after Tuesday's loss. “Maybe I went up a little early. I just wanted to catch the ball and tag. I saw the video. I wasn’t over the plate or something. I didn’t know that rule... I was arguing with him because I knew I wasn’t covering the plate. Then he told me that. First time I’ve seen that play.”

The Red Sox are on the brink of being swept after consecutive losses against the Phillies.

About the author

Chaitanya Prakash is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game.

Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya's curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America's favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya's favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista's iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players' self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash