Debacle Comes Early In MLB Playoffs, The umpires rule that an apparent Cardinal flub is an out - and Braves fans lose control. Bad infield fly rule call mars Cardinals victory over Braves in NL wild card game, It only took eight innings for baseball's umpires to register the worst call of the postseason and the Atlanta Braves paid a big price for it in their 6-3 National League wild card loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.
With one out in the eighth inning and runners on first and second, Atlanta's Andrelton Simmons hit a fly ball to left field. The ball dropped in between backpedaling shortstop Pete Kozma and left fielder Matt Holliday and it looked as if the Braves would have the bases loaded with one out to stage a rally from their three-run deficit. Left field umpire Sam Holbrook, however, made a delayed infield fly rule call as the ball neared the ground. The call ruled Simmons out for the second out of the inning and an angry Turner Field crowd responded by showering the field with garbage.
Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez used the 18-minute delay that followed to put the game under protest. Major League Baseball denied the protest, however, because the infield fly rule is strictly a judgment call and not subject to any appeal. There is no distance mentioned in the infield fly rule language and an umpire must only determine that an infielder could have caught the ball with an ordinary effort.
With one out in the eighth inning and runners on first and second, Atlanta's Andrelton Simmons hit a fly ball to left field. The ball dropped in between backpedaling shortstop Pete Kozma and left fielder Matt Holliday and it looked as if the Braves would have the bases loaded with one out to stage a rally from their three-run deficit. Left field umpire Sam Holbrook, however, made a delayed infield fly rule call as the ball neared the ground. The call ruled Simmons out for the second out of the inning and an angry Turner Field crowd responded by showering the field with garbage.
Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez used the 18-minute delay that followed to put the game under protest. Major League Baseball denied the protest, however, because the infield fly rule is strictly a judgment call and not subject to any appeal. There is no distance mentioned in the infield fly rule language and an umpire must only determine that an infielder could have caught the ball with an ordinary effort.
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