Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich. (Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports)
Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Christian Yelich flipped out on third base umpire Doug Eddings for calling a clear check swing a strike in the ninth inning.
Yelich’s strikeout was the Brewers’ first out of the ninth inning in a game they eventually lost by one run to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Given the slim deficit Milwaukee faced, yes, it’s understandable that Yelich would react this way.
The replay doesn’t do Eddings any favors, as Yelich appears to hold up on the swing, and it’s not really all that close.
After the game, Yelich said all the right things, merely calling it “one of those games,” but not before losing his cool on the field. Frankly, he was lucky that Eddings didn’t eject him on the spot for flipping his bat in disbelief.
Milwaukee Brewers, Christian Yelich need every win they can get
With the Brewers and Cardinals battling for first place in the NL Central, Milwaukee hoped to pad their advantage before the All-Star break given a matchup with the Pirates. While Pittsburgh does sit in third place, that’s more of a slight to the division than anything else. The Bucs are 35-50 as of this writing, and still a few years away.
The Brew Crew nearly always dominate the Pirates at home, as well. American Family Field (previously Miller Park) has been deemed a house of horrors for Pittsburgh.
While one result is merely that, every win matters down the stretch. If the Cardinals are able to mount a second-half comeback, Milwaukee could very well look back at this game as a deciding factor.