Controversial HBP call gifts Mets walk-off win over Marlins
The New York Mets erased a 2-1 deficit against the division-rival Miami Marlins in the bottom of the ninth of Thursday's outing at Citi Field when second baseman Jeff McNeil launched a game-tying home run that included an epic bat flip:
New York went on to load the bases with outfielder and struggling hitter Michael Conforto due up. Conforto largely seemed lost during the at-bat and appeared to strike out looking until he campaigned to home plate umpire and crew chief Ron Kulpa that his elbow was hit by the pitch.
Kulpa agreed and awarded Conforto with the walk-off RBI, but replays proved that Miami's Anthony Bass should've earned a strikeout because Conforto clearly stuck his elbow into the strike zone:
According to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN), whether or not a player is in the strike zone when he is hit by a pitch is not subject to video review. Following a short review of the pitch, Kulpa upheld the call and New York's 3-2 win.
Conforto admitted after the victory that he'd prefer to win the game using his bat instead of his elbow:
Mets manager Luis Rojas and Miami's Don Mattingly also addressed the controversy:
The Mets improved to 2-2 on the season, while the Marlins fell to 1-6.
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