The pitch was not a strike, the last toss of Sunday night’s World Baseball Classic epic between the United States and the Dominican Republic.
But, the umpire called it a strike, ending the game with a strikeout looking that preserved a 2-1 U.S. victory. The result sends the hosts into the championship game and the losers to the sidelines.
A story on ESPN.com observed that the bad call was an aberration from umpire Cory Blaser, noting he “otherwise called a consistent and strong game behind home plate.”
I’d agree with half of that, he was consistent. Where many Major League umpires have a strike zone roughly the size of a mail slot, Blaser’s zone was consistently the size of a mail truck.
He called pitches out of the zone left and right, up and down, strikes. This helps account for two gifted offensive teams totaling just three runs. The Dominican Republic, by way of background, had averaged 10 runs a game previously.
Give players and management from the Dominican Republic credit for dismissing the gaffe call as just part of the game.
That is correct. When an umpire is calling a large strike zone, you have to take that into account by the ninth inning.
And both teams had chances to score more runs earlier, including each inexplicably failing to push in a tally with runners on second and third, just one out, and prolific hitters Fernando Tatis Jr. for the Dominican Republic and Aaron Judge for the Americans at the plate.
Tatis would have gotten another chance if that pitch been called a ball and resulted in a walk. If.
Ironically, Major League Baseball will have automated ball-strike challenges this year. You can bet the next World Baseball Classic will, too.
There was a strong Pittsburgh feel to this game. Pirates ace Paul Skenes lived up to expectations, allowing just one run in 4 1/3 innings. You wonder what he could accomplish if the Pirates ever gave him a supporting cast.
David Bednar, who pitched a scoreless seventh inning, is a Pittsburgh native who attended Mars High School. He also pitched for the Pirates from 2021-2025.
Mason Miller, who protected that 2-1 lead in then ninth, also is a Pittsburgh native, and attended Bethel Park High school.
Bednar alluded to Pittsburgh grit from Miller and him during a postgame TV interview.
At least Bednar now gets to go back to the New York Yankees and Miller returns to the San Diego Padres, two franchises looking to spend money and compete for titles.
Skenes, unfortunately for him, is stuck with the Pirates.
Sam Ross Jr's site 