The Mets were handed the winning run on a disputed hit by pitch for a 3-2 victory Thursday over the Marlins as Michael Conforto appeared to stick out his right elbow pad just enough to get it grazed by a 1-2 breaking ball by Miami closer Anthony Bass.
Even the New York Mets called Thursday’s walk-off 3-2 victory over the Miami Marlins a lucky break. With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the ninth after Jeff McNeil had tied the game with a home run leading off the inning, a 1-2 pitch on the inside corner of home plate to Michael Conforto grazed his elbow pad as he leaned over the plate to give the Mets the victory. Home-plate umpire Ron Kulpa initially started to ring Conforto up with strike three and then changed his call mid-motion to say the pitch hit Conforto. The umpiring crew conferred on the call, but Kulpa’s decision stood. Under replay rules, a call on whether a pitch is in the strike zone when it touches a batter and whether the batter attempts to avoid getting hit is not reviewable. On the other hand, Rule 5.05(b)(2) states that a batter is entitled to first base when he is hit by a pitch unless: (A) The ball is in the strike zone when it touches the batter, or (B) The batter makes no attempt to avoid being touched by the ball; (2) If the ball is in the strike zone when it touches the batter, it shall be called a strike, whether or not the batter tries to avoid the ball.
