Ump admits missed call on Utley hit

[JonLP24]

DENVER -- Whether it was umpires being in the wrong place or some gamesmanship by the Phillies' Chase Utley, the fact is a missed call played a part in Philadelphia's 6-5 victory over Colorado in Sunday night's Game 3 of the National League Division Series.

In the top of the ninth with Jimmy Rollins at second, Utley hit a pitch from Rockies closer Huston Street that, replays showed, clearly bounced off Utley's leg while he was still in the batter's box before landing in fair ground in front of the plate and along the first-base line. A ball that hits a batter while he's still in the box is supposed to be ruled dead.

However, no umpire saw the ball hit Utley, who ran to first. First-base umpire Ron Kulpa ruled that Street's throw to first base pulled Todd Helton off the bag -- a decision the Rockies also disputed. Rollins ended up scoring the winning run from third on a sacrifice fly by the next batter, Ryan Howard. Now the Rockies must win Monday afternoon to avoid being eliminated.

By game's end, there was no disputing that the play should have been ruled a foul ball. Plate umpire Jerry Meals said as much when asked by a reporter after the game.
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091012&content_id=7438306&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

[MrSlayer]

1. Yeah, it hit him but it was a very smart play by Utley.

If he doesn't run and the umpire doesn't realize it hit him, he gets thrown out at first. A real heads-up play from Utley.

[JonLP24]

2. It looks like to me he was thrown out at first

But he was called safe. Anyways I'm not sure but that's what it looked like what happened based on the replays.

[trumad]

3. So he got two breaks in one at bat?

[JonLP24]

4. I'm a Rockies fan and that's what it looked like to me

Ask someone else you might get a different answer but I notice some people on ESPN saying the same thing in the context of arguing for instant replay in baseball. Though I'm not sour over it despite it being a key play that leads to the eventual winning run because the Rockies still have a chance to win today and hopefully again if they do win today.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

5. The umps have apparently been outsourced.