Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman was visibly frustrated after a controversial strike call ended his at-bat in the ninth inning of a 1–0 loss to the Kansas City Royals in Game 1 of their wild-card series.
Facing Royals closer Lucas Erceg, Rutschman had worked a 2-2 count with no outs and a runner on first. Erceg delivered a 93-mph changeup that dipped below the strike zone, but home plate umpire Ryan Additon called it a strike, to Rutschman’s disbelief. The Gamecast on MLB.com confirmed the pitch was low, further fueling Rutschman’s frustration.
In such a pivotal moment, a full-count situation could have significantly altered the Orioles’ chances of tying the game. Instead, with Rutschman called out on strikes, the Orioles were down to their final two outs. Colton Cowser followed with a fly out to center field, and pinch hitter Heston Kjerstad struck out, sealing the game for the Royals.
The Orioles now face a 1-0 series deficit, and the missed call looms large as a potential turning point in the game.
