In the seventh inning last night, with the Rays leading 4-3, the Indians had runners on first and third with two outs. Jake McGee had a 1-2 count on Jason Kipnis and through the pitch below. The pitch was called a ball, and instead of striking out to end the inning, Kipnis would single four pitches later. The Indians would go on to score four more runs that inning and the game was essentially over.
5 Comments
It was definitely that (one) call that cost the Rays the game!
It definitely was! I hate to have a game rely on only one call (since the Rays had plenty of opportunities to score more runs) but sometimes that’s what it is! It screws with the pitcher because if he’s seeing that as a ball.. well guess what it means he thinks it needs to be up a little more, in prime hitting area!
Sorta of like the guy that misses the last shot in a basketball and lose by 1 point…..right?
I have to agree with Don’s sarcasm here. If the Rays don’t get a call, then they need grow a set and get the next guy out – not throw 6 fastballs in a row in the same location. Add that to the multiple opportunities to have big innings and they should have walked away with this one.
Baseball is an imprecise sport and that is part of its charm. However, pitchers learn early in a game what the home plate umpire’s strike zone is that day (or night). In this game outside balls had been consistently called strikes. Take a look at Joyce’s ball pattern a little earlier in the game when he had 3 called strikes in 5 pitches and all 5 were outside. So to not get a pitch that was in the strike zone and several inches inside and above what had been strikes all night long was a critical blown call at that point in the game. Nothing at all like missing the last shot in a basketball game as the referee doesn’t move the rim and call a made shot a miss. (Sarcasm intended!).