Alex Reyes took the mound for the Cardinals with a one-run lead, looking to secure his spot as second in MLB saves. He got ahead early in the count against Brewers hitter Pablo Reyes, but the at-bat turned controversial fast. On a full count pitch well outside the strike zone, the umpire rung up Reyes, who immediately protested. Brewers manager Craig Counsell stormed out to argue and was tossed almost instantly. He kept jawing, telling the ump everyone could see it was off the plate. The ump didn’t respond, just listened as Counsell vented.
Things boiled over again when the broadcast showed the infamous “ump switch,” where fans and viewers noticed the handshake between the umps as they seemed to shift the lead. Momentum clearly shifted after the ejects and disagreement. The very next pitch of the game was a no-doubter home run from the Brewers, tying it in the late innings. Energy surged in the Brewers dugout. Willie Adames was fired up, shouting and celebrating in a mix of rage and joy. The Brewers rode that emotion through extras and pulled off the win. A missed call may have flipped the game, but Milwaukee took full advantage.