Pirates File Complaint Over 19-inning Loss To Braves

PITTSBURGH — Pirates president Frank Coonelly issued a statement on Wednesday, a day after his team's 4-3 loss to the Braves in Atlanta that included a highly controversial call in the 19th inning.

In doing so, Coonelly and the Pirates filed a formal complaint with the commissioner's office over umpire Jerry Meals' call that ended the game at Turner Field.

"The Pittsburgh Pirates organization is extremely disappointed by the way its 19-inning game against the Atlanta Braves ended earlier this morning. The game of baseball and this game in particular, filled with superlative performances by players on both clubs, deserved much better. We have filed a formal complaint with the Commissioner.

"While we cannot begin to understand how umpire Jerry Meals did not see the tag made by Michael McKenry three feet in front of home plate, we do not question the integrity of Mr. Meals. Instead, we know that Mr. Meals' intention was to get the call right. Jerry Meals has been umpiring Major League games for 14 years and has always done so with integrity and professionalism. He got this one wrong."

The loss was a costly one for the Pirates, searching for their first winning season in 19 years. In the thick of a surprising National League Central race with Milwaukee and St. Louis, the loss pushed the resurgent Pirates one game behind the first-place Cardinals.

"For Pirates fans, we may have lost a game in the standings as a result of a missed call," Coonelly said, "but this game, and the gutsy performances by so many of our players, will make us stronger, more unified and more determined as we continue the battle for the National League Central Division."

In the bottom of the 19th, with the Braves and Pirates locked in a 3-3 duel, Atlanta's Scott Proctor hit a groundball off Pittsburgh's Daniel McCutchen to third base. Pittsburgh's Pedro Alvarez fielded it and threw home to catcher Mike McKenry who appeared to apply the tag to Atlanta's Julio Lugo before Lugo touched the base.

Meals, however, called Lugo safe.

Comments

[jbobharris]

10:45 AM on 08/16/2011

It really bothers me when people can sit back and watch replay after replay and judge an ump. People at home see different views on the play (all of which are slow motion) and then it becomes obvious that the umpire blew a call. The umpire however, has a split second to make a decision on a close play. Watching that replay, I still think the umpire was right. The swipe tag just simply missed him. Plan and simple. And even if it did get him, that wasn't what the umpire saw. And that's what makes baseball great. It's still a human sport with human players and human mistakes on BOTH ends of the game.

[Stoffyness]

03:11 PM on 08/03/2011

When MLB adopted instant replay in special circumstances, this fan jumped for joy. But the new usage of replay doesn't go far enough. It's time for MLB to adopt a coach's/player's challenge system similar to what's used in football and tennis. Three challenges per team per game should be do the trick. The excuse that it will slow down the game is absurd, especially in the context of a 19-inning marathon. If the game's too slow, look elsewhere to speed things up.

My suggestion: place strict limits on when a player can call "time", allowing only legitimate, officially sanctioned and defined reasons. Stepping out of the box to disrupt a pitcher's sequencing is an oft-used tactic these days, but it's not a legitimate reason, in my book, for prolonging the game. When a player misuses their "time" privileges, charge the team with a severe penalty: take away one of the coach's challenges.

[vesaversa1]

10:46 AM on 07/31/2011

It is silly of the pirate to file a complaint . They are not the first team to be the victim of a bad call in ML baseball . I remember like it was yesterday when the Braves was playing the Twins in the World series and Ronny Gant was pull off 1st base by the Twins player and was call out .

[JacksonHts]

11:27 AM on 07/28/2011

Update: Clint Hurdle was cool with it after the ump admitted he blew the call completely. MLB of course can do nothing......

[ceez]

10:56 AM on 07/28/2011

19 innings...damn.

filing a complaint does nothing. that's why there are 162 games in a season!

[rltballer]

03:57 PM on 07/27/2011

Atlanta fan here. Was a bad call but one play or one call does not lose the game. You had many innings with men left on base. Lose a perfect game then have a gripe. Leave many on base and make a few errors and you right to complain goes away as well.