Major League Baseball’s Automated Balls and Strikes (ABS) system overturned a call by a human umpire that led to an explosion of runs during Thursday’s Braves-Diamondbacks game.
Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies said the challenge “changed the whole game,” according to the New York Post.
“I’m happy they have that system,” said Albies, who challenged his seventh at-bat, which led to a huge eight-run drive.
The moment came on the heels of an error by Nolan Arenado, who botched a double play that scotched an end to the fifth inning. That error led to the eight runs logged in.
Still, error or no, if Albies had been struck out, it would not have mattered. But the second baseman’s ABS challenge turned a strike into a ball, and he walked him.
The Post reports that ABS read the pitch as 1.1 inches outside the strike zone and that it was up and away from the plate.
After the game, Diamondbacks manager Tony Lovullo claimed he felt Diamondbacks pitcher Ryne Nelson lost his composure after the ABS turnover.
“We’re still learning to control our emotions,” Lovullo said after the game. “You’ve got to get back on the mound and get ready to compete as fast as possible. So whether it did or didn’t [affect him mentally], I haven’t had a chance to talk to him, but I think it’s got to be tough.”
“You never know what these things are going to lead to,” Braves manager Walt Weiss added postgame. “Sometimes they seem so innocent at the time. But all that stuff led to eight runs.”
The ABS sABSntly humiliated MLB umpire CB Bucknor by overturning six of his calls in one game.
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