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Watch: Controversial strike call hands Padres fifth straight loss
The San Diego Padres fell to the Arizona Diamondbacks, 4-3, on Thursday, and the contest ended in controversy.
Jake Cronenworth struck out looking on a questionable call by home plate umpire Erich Bacchus, which led to arguments from both the infielder and manager Mike Shildt.
Padres announcers Don Orsillo and Mark Grant also expressed their displeasure with the call.
That's a TOUGH way to end a baseball game pic.twitter.com/2QSl1DMbXv
— Dillard Barnhart (@BarnHasSpoken2) June 7, 2024
"Strike three called! And that ends the ballgame, and that was not close to being a strike," Orsillo said.
"Brutal! Horrible!" Grant added. "Took the bat right out of the kid's hands. Wasn't even close."
"Mike Shildt out there arguing that very point, but this game is over," Orsillo said.
"You've gotta be shaving me!" Grant added.
The broadcast's K-Zone agreed with San Diego's cohort, showing the pitch a bit high and well outside.
Instead of getting a shot to drive in the tying run from second, Cronenworth and the rest of the team were sent to their fifth consecutive defeat, four of which have been by one run.
Cronenworth and Shildt addressed the game-ending strikeout following the loss.
"It was a ball," the two-time All-Star said, per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. "I don’t even know what to say. He took the bat out of my hands at the end of the game. It sucks. It comes down to his decision."
"You know, listen, man, you can’t end a game with a ball six inches off the plate and borderline high," the manager added. "I mean, listen, that’s just not acceptable. We lost. I take ownership of that. Don’t want to blame anybody, but that’s a bad way to end the ballgame."
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