ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Having watched the play countless times, Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider doesn't want Isiah Kiner-Falefa to be criticized for getting thrown out at home plate in Game 7 of the World Series — inches short of scoring a championship-winning run.

“I feel so bad for Izzy for getting all the blame,” Schneider said Tuesday at baseball's winter meetings. “Could we have done a better job of getting Izzy another step or two down? Yeah, for sure.”

After Miguel Rojas hit a tying homer for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the top of the ninth inning, Bo Bichette singled with one out in the bottom half off Blake Snell, and Kiner-Falefa entered as a pinch runner. Addison Barger walked, and Alejandro Kirk was hit by a pitch from Yoshinobu Yamamoto, loading the bases.

Kiner-Falefa took an unusually short 7.8-foot lead at the behest of third base coach Carlos Febles, the fourth-shortest primary lead by a runner off third during the World Series, according to MLB Statcast. Kiner-Falefa's 8.9-foot secondary lead when the pitcher released the ball was the eighth-shortest at third during the Series. 

The Crocus Plainsmen had to give away the first-place plaque this year, but still had some valuable takeaways from the Early Bird varsity girls basketball tournament.

They shook the rust off with a decisive quarterfinal win over the Neepawa Tigers, then handled the pressure of a close game, eking out a 46-44 victory over the Souris Sabres.

The Plainsmen then ran into a terrific Garden Valley Zodiacs squad, falling 76-56 in Saturday’s final.

“We learned a lot throughout the weekend,” Hartman said.