Volquez: Umpire admitted ball 4 to Bautista was wrong
Jose Bautista had luck and a call from home plate umpire Dan Iassonga on his side when tensions were high in the sixth inning of Game 5 of the American League Championship Series on Wednesday.
After battling Kansas City Royals starter Edinson Volquez through a nine-pitch at-bat, Bautista cautiously let the 10th pitch - a curveball - sail by the bottom of the zone. The pitch, which looked to be a strike, was called ball four.
(Courtesy: MLB.com)
The pitch loaded the bases and eventually led to a bases-loaded walk and a bases-clearing double. The Blue Jays won the game 7-1.
Volquez told reporters that Iassonga later in the game admitted he got the call wrong, and apparently apologized to catcher Salvador Perez for his mistake. Perez later denied telling Volquez that conversation took place.
After the game, Bautista said he came out on the right end of a questionable call.
"I got the benefit of a borderline call going my way," he told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
EPIC AT-BAT
| No. | Pitch | Result | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 96-MPH 2-SEAM FB | Called Strike | 0-1 |
| 2 | 97-MPH 2-SEAM FB | Ball | 1-1 |
| 3 | 97-MPH 2-SEAM FB | Ball | 2-1 |
| 4 | 97-MPH 4-SEAM FB | Ball | 3-1 |
| 5 | 96-MPH 2-SEAM FB | Foul | 3-2 |
| 6 | 97-MPH 2-SEAM FB | Foul | 3-2 |
| 7 | 97-MPH 2-SEAM FB | Foul | 3-2 |
| 8 | 97-MPH 2-SEAM FB | Foul | 3-2 |
| 9 | 98-MPH 2-SEAM FB | Foul | 3-2 |
| 10 | 83-MPH CURVE | Ball | 4-2 |
(Courtesy: MLB Gameday)
Manager Ned Yost wasn't too pleased about the call.
"Yes. I thought the pitch to Bautista was definitely a strike," he said postgame. "And I thought we had a chance on him swinging, but we couldn't get anybody's attention on it."