Ye gods, we have another umpire controversy in Chicago. Jermaine Dye coxed a plunk out of the home plate umpire, even though the ball hit his bat (the Fox crew showed definitively that it was indeed a foul ball). This eventually leads to Paul Konerko batting with the bases loaded. He sees one pitch from D.J. Qualls. He hits it for a Grand Slam. A Grand Slam that never should have been.
It brings out the Oliver Stone in me. First you have the non-call during A.J. Pierzynski’s at-bat in Game 2 against Anaheim that instantly leads to a White Sox win. Now you have the non-hit batsman in Game 2 against Houston, that leads to a certain Chicago win. It’s as if baseball made it clear to the umpire crew how good it would be for baseball if the White Sox won.
And yet, it wasn’t quite over yet, as the ‘Stros got to Bobby “Big Time” Jenks and took him for two runs with two out in the top of the ninth. That play at the plate was a nail biter; the tag was there, but Chris Burke lifted his hand and slammed it down on the plate to avoid the tag. October drama, at its finest.
So imagine everyone’s surprise when Scott Podsednik hits a dinger off of Brad Lidge in the bottom of the ninth. Podsednik, who had been hitless all night and hit ZERO HOME RUNS all year. Go figure. Someone has to be the Scott Brosius or Mark Lemke. May as well be the guy with no stick.
