A bunt becomes a 'home run' in Dominican Winter League

Want to see a bunt turn into a home run? You’ve come to the right place.

Such a feat occurred on Friday in a Dominican Winter League game.

The Tigres del Licey and the Estrellas Orientales were scoreless with one out and a runner on first in the bottom of the seventh. That’s when the Estrellas’ Raimel Tapia stepped to the plate against Hansel Robles. The veteran MLB outfielder put down a bunt toward third base to move the runner, Alfredo Reyes, up 90 feet. But when third baseman Dawel Lugo unleashed a wild throw to first, everyone was off to the races.

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The ball ended up in the Estrellas’ bullpen down the right-field line. It was hastily retrieved by the right fielder, but his throw home sailed far over the catcher, allowing Reyes to slide in safely.

At this point, Tapia was nearing third base. Once he saw the ball fly to the backstop, near the Tigres’ dugout, he bolted for home. A second throw to the plate came from Lugo, but the catcher couldn't handle the low toss, and Tapia ended his 360-foot journey successfully.

And that’s how you turn a bunt that travels about 30 feet into an inside-the-park "home run." The Tigres’ third baseman and right fielder were both charged with errors on the play.

This is the second time in less than two years that Tapia has turned a routine out into a must-see moment. The speedy outfielder -- then playing for the Blue Jays -- hit an inside-the-park grand slam on July 22, 2022, against the Red Sox at Fenway Park.

That was part of a historic 28-5 Toronto win. Friday's wild play was even more critical, though, since it provided the only two runs the Estrellas needed in a shutout victory.