The Los Angeles Dodgers lost to the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday after an awful strike-three call on outfielder Mookie Betts.
Dread it, run from it, “The Ump Show” still arrives. There have been some questionable calls from MLB umpires in recent days and weeks. Sure enough, that continued on Saturday in a game between two big teams in the National League, the Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals.
Unfortunately, the NL West team was subject to a questionable call late in the game.
The Dodgers entered the bottom of the ninth inning trailing the Cardinals 6-3 but were able to pull within one run after an RBI double by Jason Heyward and a sacrifice fly by Will Smith. With Heyward on base, outfielder Mookie Betts stepped up to the plate, looking to bring him home to tie the game. But on a full count, Cardinals reliever Giovanny Gallegos threw a 94-mph fastball that appeared to be outside for a ball. Instead, home plate umpire Paul Emmel called Betts out on strikes to end the game and give St. Louis the victory.
Ump Show: Controversial strike three call costs Dodgers, gives Cardinals win
For those who wanted a view of the pitch from the batter’s box, take a look for yourselves.
There was also controversy in Smith’s at-bat. On the fifth pitch that Smith saw, it landed outside the strike zone, similar to the sixth pitch seen by Betts, and was called a strike. Realistically, that could have left the Dodgers with two outs to work with and two runners on base.
With the victory, the Cardinals now have the chance to win the series with a victory on Sunday. St. Louis took the series’ opening game by the score of 16-8, and Saturday’s contest. Meanwhile, the Dodgers will have to try and split the series on Sunday, as they took Friday night’s game 5-0.
The ninth inning started with such promise for the Dodgers, but then it ended with anger and controversy following Emmel’s call.