Umpires bar Dodgers' Roberts from pitching position player

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Umpires barred Dodgers manager Dave Roberts from using

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a position player to pitch the ninth inning against the New York Mets on Saturday

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night, enforcing a rule Roberts apparently did not know that prevents teams from using non-pitchers with a deficit of five runs or fewer.

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With Los Angeles trailing 9-4, Roberts sent utility player Zach McKinstry to the mound to begin the ninth,

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but McKinstry was halted by umpires. A lengthy delay and discussion followed, and umpires used headsets to discuss the situation with officials in New York.

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Crew chief C.B. Bucknor announced that McKinstry would not be allowed to pitch, and right-hander Evan Phillips began warming in the Dodgers bullpen.

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When umpires signaled that Phillips needed to relocate his warm-up throws to the

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game mound, bullpen coach Josh Bard jogged out of the bullpen and screamed that Phillips wasn't ready.

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Phillips was given unlimited time to warm up, and the delay lasted around 11 minutes in total.

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