For the second day in a row, the Milwaukee Brewers were on the losing end of a momentum-shifting decision made by an umpiring crew.
This time, the umpires claim they got the call correct.
Milwaukee thought it knotted the game in the ninth inning of a 1-0 loss to Tampa Bay on Monday night when Jake Bauers’ third strike went past Rays catcher René Pinto, allowing Sal Frelick to score from third. Bauers was declared out, and Frelick was sent back to third after plate umpire Ryan Additon determined that the hitter’s backswing struck Pinto’s helmet.
“So in this case, it was a third strike to Bauers, and all runners returned to their starting bases at the time of the pitch,” crew chief Chris Guccione told a pool reporter. “That’s the rule.”
If backswing interference had not been called, the Brewers would have tied the game and had the potential winning run on third base with only one out after Willy Adames advanced from second to third and Bauers reached first when the pitch slipped by.
The Brewers instead had runners on second and third with two outs while still trailing 1-0.
“Crazy play,” Pinto said.
Jason Adam, a Rays reliever, hit Rhys Hoskins with a fastball to load the bases before striking out Blake Perkins to finish the game.
This came one day after the Brewers suffered a 15-5 loss to the New York Yankees in a game marked by its own contentious decision by a different umpire crew. Andy Fletcher, the game’s crew chief, admitted Aaron Judge should have been called for interference after sliding on a botched double-play attempt that launched the Yankees’ tiebreaking seven-run surge in the sixth inning.
Brewers manager Pat Murphy thought his club received a harsh deal again Monday. He was ejected for the first time this season after claiming that Frelick’s run should have counted.
“We deserve to at least be still playing right now,” Murphy went on to say.
Murphy argued interference should not have been called in this play since Bauers’ backswing did not contact Pinto’s helmet until after the ball had passed the catcher.
“In my opinion, that’s a bad call, they made a mistake and they changed the game,” Murphy said in a statement.
Guccione indicated that the rules regarding backswing interference still apply even if the ball already had gotten past the catcher.
“Backswing is backswing,” Guccione said. “I know Murphy’s argument was the catcher had to go [forward] and try to get the ball. It doesn’t really apply in this case. Backswing is backswing and that’s what we have to enforce. We watched the video — it was clearly backswing interference. I could hear it from first base.”
Pinto said after the game he didn’t have any headaches after Bauers’ bat hit his helmet. Pinto was still marveling over being part of a play he never had experienced before.
“That’s my first,” Pinto said. “Even in the minors, pro ball, winter ball, that’s the first time I’ve seen that play.”
