Ward strikes out after missing six chances: ‘It’s part of the game’
Astros 5-2 Angels (Japan time 2nd, Houston)
Even after the game, I wasn’t satisfied with the commander’s raging ball. Angels outfielder Taylor Ward received a critical strikeout on the 1st (2nd Japan time) against the Astros. In the 6th inning, he loaded the bases with 1 out, the 6th pitch of the full count, and the low inside angle was ruled a hit, and he missed and struck out. “It’s very frustrating,” he said with a stern expression.
Ward, who started as “No. 1, left wing” on this day, hit the left wing timely in the second at bat, and was greeted with 2 outs and 1st and 2nd passes in the 2nd inning, but the 3rd at bat was an earthman. Then came the fourth at-bat. 6th inning chasing 2 runs, bases loaded with 1 out, 6th pitch of the full count. He confidently ignored a 93.9 mile sinker (about 151.1 kilograms) with a low inside angle, but the decision was a strike, and he struck out.
Ward protested to the referee with a disapproving look on his face before stepping off the bench. But then director Phil Nevin protested. When I took off my hat and went to the ball umpire and got furious, I was told to leave. Again, his anger did not subside, and his voice rose from the bench to the floor.
In MLB’s official website pitching chart, pitches that are judged to be hits are displayed in the ball zone with a lower inside angle. Ward did not hide his frustration after the game. On the other hand, he said with a wild smile, “This is part of the game.
I was confident in my opinion. In response to the question from the press, “Was it possible to judge that it was a ball?” He also expressed his support for the introduction of robot referees, which have become a hot topic in recent years, by automatically judging strikes and balls using AI.
(Kawamura Tordai / Kodai Kawamura)
