The Baltimore Orioles earned a narrow 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday, thanks to the home plate umpire.
Jansen Visconti had a tough evening behind the plate and missed numerous decisions on both sides.
However, his misjudgment at a crucial moment towards the end of the game was essentially decisive in the outcome.
The undermanned and struggling Orioles held on to their 3-2 lead in the second half of the eighth inning when Mookie Betts stole second base with a single and one out, giving the Dodgers the tying point.
Yennier Cano brought Teoscar Hernandez to the second out with a swinging strikeout, setting up a decisive duel with All-Star catcher Will Smith.
With the Orioles leading by one run and Mookie Betts in scoring position for the Dodgers, Yennier Cano ended the inning with a strikeout of Will Smith…even though he hadn’t thrown a single pitch across the plate. All three strikes were out of the zone. You can’t make this stuff up. pic.twitter.com/Jtjh6Tqeq8
— Sloan Piva (@SloanPiva) 28 August 2024
Cano missed with his first pitch and then missed again with his second pitch – a 96-mph sinker from the outside corner. However, Visconti ruled the ball a strike, tying the score at 1-1.
Cano’s next pitch – another 96-mph sinker – was even farther out. Remarkably, Visconti still ruled it a strike, putting Smith on the ropes for a 1-2 count.
Smith also threw the next two pitches, both of which were way off the plate. They were clearly balls, and Visconti ruled them as such.
On the full count, Cano struck back with a 97-mph sinker in almost the exact same spot as his first strike. It wasn’t on the plate, but Visconti again ruled it a strike, called out Smith, and ended the inning.
Understandably, Smith was angry, looked back at Visconti and waved his arms in protest.
As a catcher, he knows the strike zone and none of his first six pitches ever crossed the plate.
No wonder he kept his bat on his shoulders even after two strikes.
Will Smith did not score a strike on this hit pic.twitter.com/JfcgimGzjZ
— Blake Harris (@BlakeHHarris) 28 August 2024
Had Smith received the deserved walk, it would have put runners on first and second base for Tommy Edman. Instead, it was a missed opportunity for Los Angeles.
The Dodgers had another chance in the bottom of the ninth inning, getting two players on the field despite having two outs, but Chris Taylor left them both standing and hit a line drive to Colton Cowser, ending the game.
After winning Game 1 of the series at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, Baltimore will look to clinch a series victory on Wednesday with ace Corbin Burnes (12-6, 3.28 ERA), while Los Angeles will look to rebound from Tuesday’s frustrating loss with struggling Walker Buehler (1-4, 6.09 ERA).
Regardless of who is behind the home base, hopefully he will let the players make the decision rather than taking matters into his own hands.
