NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 21: Gio Urshela #29 of the New York Yankees reacts after singling during the ninth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Yankee Stadium on May 21, 2021 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Yankees won 2-1. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
New York Yankees third baseman Gio Urshela actually earned a walk on three balls during Friday’s game against the Detroit Tigers.
Much like it is every MLB season, umpiring is always placed under the proverbial microscope by fans. If you wanted to look at a prime example of why diehards do such a thing, look no further than Friday’s game between the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers.
With both teams tied 1-1 in the top of the sixth inning, Yankees third baseman Gio Urshela stepped up to the plate, faced nine pitches from Kyle Funkhouser and earned a walk. The problem is, Urshela only got three balls credited to him. Yet, it went completely unnoticed by the umpiring crew!
Even the YES Network crew noticed that Urshela reached first base on only three balls!
Yankees: Gio Urshela earns a walk on three balls during Friday’s game vs. Tigers
After this, things went downhill for the Yankees and Urshela.
Shortly after reaching first, the third baseman was tagged out at second following a ground ball by Yankees shortstop Gleyber Torres. It did not end there, as Urshela was called out on a ground ball in the top of the eighth inning, even though replay showed that he touched first base before the ball went into Miguel Cabrera’s glove.
Matters got even worse for the Yankees in the bottom of the tenth inning, as a potential strike-three pitch by Justin Wilson was called a ball by the home plate umpire. On the very next pitch, Robbie Grossman hit a walk-off two-run homer to give Detroit the 3-2 win.
Urshela may have earned a three-ball walk, but at what cost? As it turns out, a win. Never forget the weird game that occurred on May 28, 2021 between the Tigers and Yankees.