Texas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim explains what happened during controversial play against the Cubs

A call at home plate nearly cost the Texas Rangers in their 4-3 walk-off win over the Chicago Cubs on Opening Day at Globe Life Field on Thursday.

The Rangers won the game in the bottom of the 10th inning when Jonah Heim singled off Drew Smyly, only the fifth time in franchise history that opening day was won on a walk-off, with the bases loaded.

One inning earlier, Heim was involved at a controversial play at home plate that gave the Cubs a temporary 3-2 lead.

Heim was happy for the opportunity to make good after a ninth-inning miscue.

“It felt great,” said Heim, “When you feel like you kinda let your team down there and then you get a chance to win the game, it’s even better.”

The call in question happened in the top of the ninth inning with Rangers reliever Jose Leclerc pitching and the game tied 2-2. Leclerc threw a pitch that the umpire ruled that the Cubs’ Miles Mastrobuoni swung and missed. As the ball got past catcher Heim, the Cubs’ Michael Busch advanced to third base. As Heim argued with home plate umpire Chad Fairchild, Busch took advantage of Heim’s lapse and scored. Heim was given an error on the play.

Heim was animated arguing with the umpire after the play indicating the ball was fouled. A video replay appeared to show the ball did hit Mastrobuoni’s bat, but the play was unreviewable under the MLB’s current replay rules.

After the game, Fairchild did not admit that he missed the call.

“I ruled it a strike,” Fairchild told a pool reporter. Fairchild said he watched the replay, but said he wasn’t going to talk about videos.

“It’s not a reviewable play,” the umpire said.

However, the lead would be short-lived as Travis Jankowski came on as a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the ninth inning and tied the game at three apiece with a solo home run.

After the game, Heim explained what happened at the plate.

“I went to block it, heard it hit the bat, change directions, and clearly it’s a loud environment, the fans were rocking and so [the umpire] didn’t hear it,” said Heim, “Just gotta finish the play there and grab the ball and we get out of that inning with no runs. So obviously I take responsibility for that.”

Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said he spoke with Heim after the game, explaining he has to play through umpire mistakes.

“It’s so loud out there, I’m sure [the umpire] couldn’t hear the foul tip. We couldn’t see it but you just don’t assume that he saw the foul tip or heard anything there,” said Bochy, “You have to finish the play and, it’s something, Jonah, we just talked about it. He says that’s something that’s on me, but the big thing is he put it behind him and got that big hit.”

The Rangers are off on Friday before returning to play at 6:05 on Saturday at Globe Life Field, Texas will also receive their World Series championship rings in a pregame ceremony.