Tensions flared in a game where the Red Sox were down 3-0 in the seventh, with Justin Turner up, two men on, and a full count. What looked to Turner and manager Alex Cora like ball four was called strike three by umpire Pat Hoberg, ending the inning. The Red Sox dugout simmered, especially when Hoberg called similar pitches balls in the bottom half. Cora let loose, got ejected, and argued that Hoberg wasn’t calling it both ways. But a closer look showed Hoberg stayed consistent with his strike zone. The same borderline pitch he called a strike on Turner, he also called a strike on others. Pitches just a tad further out were consistently ruled balls.
Despite the heated disagreement, Hoberg maintained his zone across multiple innings, even when the Red Sox kept testing it. Later in the game, another confusing moment emerged. With two runners on, a grounder to second led to a force play at the plate. Hoberg called the runner out, but he quickly realized he messed up and reversed it. He thought the bases were loaded and misjudged the situation. He owned the mistake and corrected it. Through all of it, Hoberg showed consistency in his pitch calls, frustrated as the Red Sox were. The plate didn’t shift, even if emotions did.