Bad send. The cut-off man would have had him on a relay. He would only be safe on a total misfire. Add to this that th best hitter on the team was coming to bat against a struggling closer.
Any catch-able ball by the catcher had him out easily. an offline throw relayed to the plate would also have had him. The only way he would have been safe would have been if the catcher had muffed the throw or the there had been an overthrow to the backstop.