While the pitch was outside, Dodgers star Mookie Betts was called out, ending Saturday's game against the Cardinals. The Cardinals defeated the Dodgers 6-5 on Saturday, with Mookie Betts controversially striking out looking for the final out.
FeaturedMLBBy Michael Dixon on

Earlier in the week, the Los Angeles Dodgers benefited from some generous strike calls in a game against the Minnesota Twins. In Saturday night’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals, the Dodgers found themselves on the other side of a bad call.

Los Angeles entered the final inning in St. Louis down by three runs, but scratched two across to close the gap to 6-5. Jason Heyward was on second base, representing the tying run, while Mookie Betts was at the plate. You never want to be down in the ninth inning, but with a hitter like Betts batting and a speedy runner in scoring position as the tying run, it could have been worse for the Dodgers.

Betts quickly fell behind 0-2, fouling off his first two pitches. But the next three pitches from Cardinals closer Giovanny Gallegos were not close and Betts worked the count to 3-2. Then came the payoff pitch.

Gallegos’ 3-2 pitch was closer to the strike zone than any of his previous three were, but was also wide — at least according to most people.

But home plate umpire, Paul Emmel, was not one of them. He rang Betts up for the game-ending strikeout.

As so many of these calls seem to do, this one frustrated observers.

[Photo Credit: Fox]

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