Tulo’s pivotal triple eludes Desmond in center

ARLINGTON — Due to his deep positioning, center fielder Ian Desmond seemingly had a chance at running down Troy Tulowitzki’s three-run triple in the third inning of the Rangers’ 10-1 loss in Game 1 of the American League Division Series against the Blue Jays on Thursday afternoon. But poor route efficiency — as well as some shadows that made it hard to track the ball — ultimately led to the ball falling over his head and the Blue Jays jumping out to a five-run lead on Cole Hamels.

At the time Tulowitzki made contact, Desmond was positioned 328 feet away from home plate. The Major League average for center fielders is 314 feet. Despite giving himself plenty of room, and covering 133 feet with a top speed of 20.2 mph, Desmond’s subpar 73.1 percent route efficiency kept him from making the play.

As Desmond approached the warning track, he hesitated for a moment and the ball one-hopped the wall in right-center. Tulowitzki’s triple capped a five-run third by the Blue Jays, with …

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