Cubs fans got a chaotic finish in a one-run game after home plate umpire CB Buckner lost track of the count in the ninth inning. With one out and a 2-2 count, the next pitch missed outside. Buckner called it ball three, though the scoreboard and broadcast had it as ball four. No one moved. The batter, catcher, and pitcher all thought it was still 2-2. The crowd sensed something was off, but play paused only after coaches pointed out the count error from the dugout. Buckner huddled with the crew, who also weren’t sure. After a brief delay and some confusion, they confirmed it was ball four, and the batter headed to first with a walk that set up a tense moment.
Adley Rutschman came up as the tying run. After falling behind in the count, he watched a slider just off the outside edge get called a strike. He clearly wasn’t happy. The pitch was borderline, and the call was likely affected by Buckner’s inside positioning, a known issue that hurts outside pitch calls. With two strikes, Rutschman grounded out to second to end the game. The Cubs sealed the win, but only after an umpiring mess nearly swung the momentum.