The Philadelphia Phillies managed to beat the Boston Red Sox thanks to a highly unconventional call by the home plate umpire during extra innings.

Boston had chances all night long, at least one baserunner in nine of 10 innings, but their clutch factor was M.I.A. and in the bottom of the 10th, it was the Phillies who triumphed, albeit in one of the most bizarre endings baseball has seen in a long time: A walk-off on bases-loaded catcher’s interference, determined on a replay review.

The pitcher, also a longtime coach and scout for the Oakland A's who made a lasting mark in independent baseball, died after a private cancer battle Saturday.

He’s been great,” manager Rob Thomson said. “I trust him. He’s been really good. And he’s got ice in his veins, too."

Former Major League Baseball pitcher Jeff Bittiger, who was serving as a scout for the Athletics, has died, the organization announced. He was 63 years old. Bittiger spent the past 22 years as a scout for the Athletics before he died Saturday morning after a battle with cancer.

The Philadelphia Phillies and Independence Blue Cross (IBX) announce an exciting new phase of their decades-long partnership focused on giving back to communities across our region. Phillies and IBX Give Back is a year-long series of monthly volunteer and community engagement initiatives highlighting both organizations’ commitment to fostering connections,