Cubs' Castro: Error ruling in 3rd inning of Arrieta's no-no was correct
By his own admission, Jake Arrieta thought Sunday's no-hit bid against the Los Angeles Dodgers - eventually, the 14th no-no in Chicago Cubs history - ended in the third inning when Kike Hernandez reached first on a short-hop grounder that ate up second baseman Starlin Castro.
"I thought it was a hit," Arrieta told reporters after his his dominant, 116-pitch effort at Dodger Stadium.
The official scorer felt differently, however, deeming the fateful play (or misplay, rather) an error on Castro - a decision the makeshift second baseman defended after Arrieta's historic performance.
"If they put a hit, I'd tell them to switch it," Castro said. "Because I was right on it. If it's backhand, it maybe can be a hit. But like that, it's right on me. That's an error. I didn't even move anywhere."
(Courtesy: MLB.com)
Cubs manager Joe Maddon equivocated a bit more than Castro, a six-year veteran who made his first career appearance at second base earlier this month, but still said the 25-year-old should've made the play.
"It's a tough call, but it's right at (Castro)," Maddon said. "The scorekeeper didn't even flinch or hesitate - it came up as an error. I give the guy credit for trying to do the right thing in that situation."
The ruling wasn't exactly praised in the Dodgers' clubhouse, though. Hernandez didn't try to diminish Arrieta's performance, but said the right-hander's postgame remarks about the play were telling.
"Even Arrieta said in his postgame interview it should have been a hit," Hernandez said. "Whatever. I don't know what happened to (the scorer), what's going through his mind, thinking, 'Third inning of a no-hitter.' It happens.
"I know how this works. If we didn't get another hit, they weren't going to change it. (Arrieta) did a great job. He overmatched us tonight, threw a no-hitter, and they gave him the benefit of the doubt."
As for Dodgers manager and former nine-time Gold Glove award winner Don Mattingly? He didn't see an error on the play.
"If you really want my opinion, I think it's a hit," Mattingly said. "It's a moot point. Doesn't change the game."