The New York Yankees registered a second consecutive win against the Atlanta Braves after a 5-4 victory in the second game of the series on Saturday.
However, the win was overshadowed by Braves ace Chris Sale’s furious reaction to a balk call by home plate umpire Dan Merzel with a runner on third in the fifth inning.
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MLB fans reacted to Sale’s heated exchange with the home plate umpire.
“Chris Sale losing it is nothing new. lol.”
“That balk call was brutal but chris sale losing it is peak pitcher energy honestly, the man competes so hard it hurts sometimes.”
“Is this Chris Sale’s 45th year in the league?”
“Looks like his brain took a fastball and never came back, while the Yankees just hit the “balk” button on his sanity. 👌”
“Either use a wind up or not..these guys who half stretch half wind up are playing with the rules.”
The Yankees scored the go-ahead run after the balk call. Braves manager Walt Weiss joined Sale, who is on a $38 million contract, in arguing with the home plate umpire. Weiss was ejected for the first time in his managerial career for his heated exchange.
Braves manager Walt Weiss calls out “terrible call” from umpire on Chris Sale
According to the home plate umpire, Chris Sale had a slight hitch in his right leg which resulted in the balk call. However, Braves manager Walt Weiss claimed that Sale had informed the batter that he was pitching out of that windup.
“Sale declared the hitter before that he was going out of the windup,” Weiss said. “He said he did not declare after that. He’s never done that in his career so it’s a terrible call. I always try to show the umpires respect, and they know that, but you can’t make that call right there.”
It was only the third balk call of Sale’s career. Sale allowed three earned runs over six innings. His counterpart, Gerrit Cole, went seven innings deep and restricted the Braves to two runs as the Yankees secured a 5-4 win.
Edited by Chaitanya Prakash