The Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays had a good old fashion pitchers dual going on Monday night. Tampa Bay ended up winning the contest 1-0 and there was not a single RBI recorded that night as the only run scored came on a double play ball. In the ninth inning Milwaukee appeared to tie the game on a strikeout plus wild pitch play, but the umpires ruled the ball dead, no run scored, and the Rays ended up holding on for the win.
Reviewing the game altering ninth inning call in the Milwaukee Brewer and Tampa Bay Rays game.
With the tying run on third base and the winning run on second base Jake Bauers of the Milwaukee Brewers chased a two strike slider in the dirt. The ball got behind the catcher, Bauer’s backswing hit the helmet of the catcher, and ultimately the play was ruled dead. This took a run off the board because before the umpire signaled dead ball Sal Frelick had easily crossed home plate and the winning run advanced to third. Manager Pat Murphy pleaded his case and ultimately was ejected.
The Brewers’ game-tying run was erased because the batter hit the catcher with his back swing
Pat Murphy was ejected and the Brewers lost the game pic.twitter.com/ESn9H98f64
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) April 30, 2024
Milwaukee Brewers fans react to this game altering decision made by the umpires.
This has got to be one of the worst calls I’ve ever seen #ThisIsMyCrew
— Ryan (@ryanwesty11) April 30, 2024
Slides into the batters box. Ball is already by him. And it’s a dropped third strike.
— BOBO Time (@BOBOTime3) April 30, 2024
But correct me if I am wrong but the catcher crossed the plain in the back of box which is catcher interference right?
— Scott Theunis (@scotttheunis) April 30, 2024
Absolutely correct call. Backswing (follow-through) interference. Ball immediately dead. Batter out on strike 3, all runners return. It’s in the book, which nobody looks at.
— 𝐑𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐌𝐒𝐍 (@RichMSN) April 30, 2024
How the hell is this a dead ball?!? Someone explain it like I’m 5. Because this is awful. @MLB @MLBUA has had major impacts in back to back games for the #Brewers. What a joke pic.twitter.com/dhABx4WAtr
— Eric Fischer (@BigEWDUZ) April 30, 2024
2 days in a row.
1st with Judge knocking down a double play, now this.
This is common stuff in MKE.
— Pitchers⚾️ & Pitchers🍺 (@BrewersOfMKE) April 30, 2024
What does the MLB rule book say regarding this scenario?
Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel posted a full transcript from the report with the umpires post game. This revealed that in the setting of catchers interference the ball is dead and the batter is out. They also discussed that the play was viewed as backswing interference and no catchers interference occurred on the play.
The tl;dr, as I see it, after getting the rundown from the umpiring crew.
The rule the umpires applied and are referencing involves backswing interference. In this rule, the runners cannot advance once contact is made. That is separate from the rule Pat Murphy was arguing. https://t.co/3rjVpeiNgO
— Curt Hogg (@CyrtHogg) April 30, 2024
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