Ending a season on a head-scratching error is hard enough, but the Phillies also will have all offseason to think about a blown call that led to the Dodgers tying the game.
Philadelphia starter Cristopher Sanchez revealed that home plate umpire Mark Wegner apologized to him for a missed strike three that preceded a walk that eventually led to the game-tying run in the Phillies’ season-ending 2-1 loss in 11 innings in Game 4 of the NLDS.
“He knows he missed it because he told me and he apologized to me,” Sanchez said through a translator. “A lot of pressure, important game, important situation, you can’t miss those things, you can’t miss those calls. I get it with the pressure, added pressure and all, but if the pitch is a strike, it’s a strike.”
The Phillies lost for a multitude of reasons Thursday, namely an awful throw and decision by Orion Kerkering in the 11th inning and a lack of hits, but it’s easy to wonder “What if” about this one call.
Sanchez pitched a masterful game, allowing one run in 6 1/3 innings, and that lone run comes with an asterisk.
After a Nick Castellanos RBI double in the seventh gave him a 1-0 lead to protect, Sanchez retired Will Smith and then threw a 97-mph sinker in a 2-2 count to Alex Call that clearly clipped the inside corner against the righty.
Wegner, though, ruled it a ball.
Catcher J.T. Realmuto went to throw the ball to third but then stopped, seemingly in disbelief that Sanchez didn’t get the call.
Sanchez flashed Wegner a “Come on, man” look after the pitch, tilting his head.
The southpaw then walked Call on the full-count offering before allowing a single to Enrique Hernandez that knocked him out of the game.
Call ultimately scored the game-tying run after closer Jhoan Duran walked Mookie Betts with the bases loaded and two outs.
Sanchez said that call is going to linger with him.
“That’s going to stick in the back of (my) mind there,” he said through an interpreter. “But again, coming better for next year to compete again next year.”
The Phillies only put one base runner on over the next four innings as the offense went silent, while the Dodgers used two singles and a walk to load the bases in the 11th before Kerkering’s mistake.
Philadelphia has now lost three straight postseason series, including two in the NLDS.
“I can’t really compare because they all feel just awful. I mean, when this happens, it’s like your entire world comes to a stop. It’s just a thud. It’s just not a good feeling. It really isn’t,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “Especially, regular season we were really good. We had a lot of wins. We expected a lot more.”