SAN DIEGO – After the Braves blew a ninth-inning lead and lost 4-3 to the Padres late Tuesday, some Braves were convinced the umpires blew a call that cost them a run in the eighth.
With the Braves leading 3-2 in the eighth, Freddie Freeman hit a two-out triple that caromed off the top of the left-field fence, just in front of the outstretched glove of a fan in the front row, and sailed back onto the field.
To some observers, it appeared the ball hit the fan’s glove as well as the top of the fence, in which case it would’ve been a home run. The Braves challenged, but after a quick (55-second) review the call stood – triple, no homer.
“It looked like it was a home run, but I’m surprised that they took that quick to look at that and not give it any more (consideration),” Freeman said. “Clearly on our replay it looked like the (fan’s) glove went down, but nothing surprises me with the replay this year.”
Immediatley after the game, Braves interim manager Brian Snitker said he was told by Braves who’d reviewed the replay that the ball hit the fan’s glove.
“I haven’t seen the replay,” he said. “On the big (stadium video board), in here it looks like the ball hit the guy’s glove. I couldn’t tell that out there, I haven’t seen it from the views that we’re seeing in there (clubhouse). But if it did, then that’s unacceptable. If they overturn that homer and that ball hit that glove, then if we can see it right here, then that’s unacceptable.”
When a reporter mentioned that the ball might’ve hit the glove either simultaneously or after it hit the fence, Snitker said, “Those fans are out of the ballpark, and it should have been a home run if that’s the case. Like I say, I haven’t had a chance to look at it yet; I’m going to. Yeah, that can’t happen, if it did.”
Freeman was standing at third base when third-base coach Bo Porter chatted briefly with third-base umpire Ted Barrett, the crew chief.
“Bo said the ball hit the fan,” Freeman said. “Right when they came back (after the review), Ted Barrett said it didn’t hit the fan. I guess that was the end of that. Take it for what it is. We had a chance to win the ballgame.
“But hopefully we can come back, turn around and get a win tomorrow.”
