The Chicago Cubs suffered a frustrating series loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks after being shut out 2-0. Adding to the frustration was a missed balk call on Diamondbacks starter Eduardo Rodriguez in the sixth inning. Cubs manager Craig Counsell spoke about the call.
“They flat out missed it,” said Counsell on Marquee Sports Network’s postgame coverage of the television broadcast. “It’s obvious to anyone on T.V., it’s obvious to anybody, they missed it. I don’t even know what to say, it’s hard to argue it when they flat out miss it.”
The umpires consulted with each other, crew chief Alfonso Marquez ruling no balk. Pete Crow-Armstrong immediately argued the call and had to be restrained by Cubs third base coach Quintin Berry to avoid an ejection. Counsell then argued with Marquez, ultimately to no avail.
The Cubs were unable to make much of that scoring opportunity. Rodriguez stranded Crow-Armstrong at third base, striking out Nico Hoerner for the inning’s final out.
Cubs Manager Craig Counsell on Missed Balk Call vs. Diamondbacks
GettyCubs manager Craig Counsell argues a missed balk call with crew chief Alfonso Marquez. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
With Pete Crow-Armstrong at third, and Michael Busch hitting, Eduardo Rodriguez was operating out of the windup. The left-hander appeared to speed up his delivery, anticipating a potential steal of home.
However, a side-angle video from the Cubs broadcast, captured by Just Baseball’s Carson Wolf, showed that Rodriguez broke contact from the pitching rubber. Under the rules, that would have been a balk for an illegal pitch, and Crow-Armstrong awarded a run.
“The umpires said he did not disengage from the rubber,” said Counsell. “He disengaged from the rubber in his windup. Tough call for the home plate and second base umpire, easy call for the first and third base umpire.”
With how the game ultimately transpired, it is what could have been in that moment. Had the umpires called a balk in that situation, the Cubs would have taken a 1-0 lead in the game. And that likely explains Counsell’s frustrations over the call.
Cubs Drop Series to Diamondbacks
GettyDespite getting great starting pitching, the Cubs dropped a winnable series in Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Adding to the frustration, Arizona took the lead in the bottom half of the inning when Jordan Lawlar homered off Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd. Rodriguez and two relievers completed a two-hit shutout of the Cubs.
That completed a series loss in which Chicago won the first game, 7-0, and carried a 4-0 lead into the eighth inning of the second. The Cubs’ starting trio of Kevin Gausman, Clay Holmes, and Matthew Boyd allowed just one run in 20 innings.
With just four outs left, the Diamondbacks rallied for five runs against Daniel Palencia and Jacob Webb to win that game. Ryan Waldschmidt homered off Webb, who was one out shy of securing the series, to walk off Chicago.
The Cubs entered that eighth inning having scored 30 unanswered runs, a franchise record, per USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.
But if there is one very minor consolation for Craig Counsell and the Cubs, the umpires admitted they missed the call. Unfortunately, it’s not a reviewable call.
Cubs Manager Craig Counsell Makes Blunt Statement Over Missed Call in Diamondbacks Game