With the bases loaded in a tight two-run game, the Angels faced a critical moment in the sixth inning. After working the count to 3-2, the batter took a low fastball that looked out of the zone. But the umpire called it a strike, ending the at-bat and denying a walk that would have brought in a run. The Angels bench erupted. Manager Phil Nevin stormed out, furious with the call. He got tossed after a heated exchange and made sure the umpire knew just how bad he thought the call was. Nevin argued that similar pitches earlier in the game were called balls, and the inconsistency came at the worst possible time.
The call proved costly. Instead of Mike Trout coming up with one out in a one-run game and the bases still loaded, he came up with two outs and the Angels still trailing by two. Trout got jammed and popped up, ending the inning without a run. A closer look at the pitch location showed it was in the same zone as earlier takes that were called balls. The umpire might’ve been tracking based on the batter’s back knee, but consistency in that zone clearly wasn’t there. Nevin had a strong argument. The missed call shifted the momentum and may have cost the Angels a chance at a comeback.