Chad Green went to work against Vizio with a clear plan: low and away fastballs. Gary Sanchez called for that same spot over and over, but Green couldn’t quite execute early in the at-bat. He missed his target on the first few pitches, leaving one over the plate for a called strike and missing badly on others. One of his best pitches—right into Gary’s glove on the low outside corner—didn’t get the call, and both Green and Sanchez were visibly frustrated. The missed call by Angel Hernandez didn’t help.
Despite the struggles, they stuck with the plan. Green kept throwing to that same low and away spot. A couple of misses, a high fastball, and some fouls later, they were in a full count. Green shook off a different sign and insisted on one more low and away fastball. This time, he nailed it. The pitch was right on target, and Vizio went down looking. After a sequence full of small misses and tight calls, Green finally got the pitch he wanted and finished the at-bat his way.