It is never a good thing when umpiring is one of the main topics discussed after a postseason MLB game, like it has been after last night’s Game 4 of the ALCS between the Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros.
With the score tied 2-2 and two men on base in the top of the ninth inning on Tuesday, Red Sox pitcher Nathan Eovaldi faced Astros pinch-hitter Jason Castro. Ahead in the count 1-2, Eovaldi broke off a curveball that clearly appeared to catch enough of the plate for strike three.
Instead, umpire Laz Diaz ruled it was a ball. Castro wound up singling home a run two pitches later, Michael Brantley hit a bases-clearing double later in the inning, and when the carnage was over, Houston has scored seven runs and earned a 9-2 win to even the series at two games apiece.
If this is called a strike, the inning is over and the game stays tied.
But Laz Diaz called it a ball. pic.twitter.com/yIrBezqk89
— Evan Marinofsky (@EvanMarinofsky) October 20, 2021
The entire complexion of the game–and maybe the series–changed with Diaz’s non-call in the Castro at-bat.
It was a rough night behind the plate in general for the veteran ump, but that pitch in particular is what people are talking about.
“I thought it was a strike.”
How Nathan Eovaldi and Alex Cora reacted to Laz Diaz’s potential series-changing call in last night’s ALCS Game 4:https://t.co/NAbqZJKhdF pic.twitter.com/jp66TuasQN
— NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSBoston) October 20, 2021
Nick Pivetta on umpire Laz Diaz’s strike zone: “I’m not gunna comment on that tonight.”
📺Full Presser: https://t.co/id0dTE7MXO
⚡️by @betonline_ag pic.twitter.com/geASAdzy1k
— Red Sox on CLNS (@RedSoxCLNS) October 20, 2021
“Everything changed on that missed strike. To be clear, Diaz had been serving up shit calls all night. But this was the most egregious. It also cost the Red Sox the game.”https://t.co/mtMUsSfsrh
— Red (@SurvivingGrady) October 20, 2021
Laz Diaz is now up to 23 missed ball-strike calls tonight.
Worth noting: 12 of them were on pitches thrown by Red Sox pitchers, 11 were on pitches thrown by Astros pitchers.
But the one everyone — at least everyone in Boston — is going to remember is the Nathan Eovaldi curve.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) October 20, 2021
This was a strike 3 This was not pic.twitter.com/TBBxf0yhQm
— Sad Celtics/Pats Fan (@PlayoffJayson) October 20, 2021
The most important game of the season was decided by a home plate umpire blowing a strike three call.
— Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis) October 20, 2021
Neither team has much time to dwell on last night though. There’s a pivotal Game 5 at Fenway Park later this afternoon.
Depending on how the next 2-3 games play out, Diaz’s folly will either be a footnote or a focal point when discussing this series for years to come.
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