In the 10th inning of Friday's classic World Series Game 1 between the Philadelphia Phillies and Houston Astros, pinch-hitter Aledmys Díaz came up with two on and two out with his team trailing 6-5 -- a big spot, to say the least.
On the mound, David Robertson appeared to be losing his command. Díaz worked a 2-0 count. The first offering was a wild pitch that moved runners to second and third. The second pitch, a knuckle-curve from Robertson, almost hit Díaz. The third pitch of the plate appearance, a slider, did hit Díaz.
As you're about to see, though, plate umpire James Hoye did not award first base and instead ruled that Díaz made no effort to avoid the pitch. Here's a look:
As you can see, Robertson and his battery-mate J.T. Realmuto reacted immediately and called for Hoye to rule as he did. Robertson, however, wasn't entirely satisfied, as he thought the pitch was going to be a strike. That's quite possible, given the usual break of his slider, but Hoye instead ruled it a ball. Díaz then swung and missed at a slider on 3-0 and on 3-1 grounded out to end it.
As for Hoye's call, MLB Rule 6.08(b) covers hit batsmen and says the pitch is to be called either a ball or strike depending on its location if the batter is deemed to have not made an attempt to avoid it. Here's the rule:
The runner is awarded first base if he) is touched by a pitched ball which he is not attempting to hit unless (1) The ball is in the strike zone when it touches the batter, or (2) The batter makes no attempt to avoid being touched by the ball;
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. If the ball is outside the strike zone when it touches the batter, it shall be called a ball if he makes no attempt to avoid being touched.
APPROVED RULING: When the batter is touched by a pitched ball which does not entitle him to first base, the ball is dead and no runner may advance.
Díaz certainly violated the second part of the rule, and, as noted, the pitch may have wound up a strike if not for Díaz's leaning. According to Statcast, the pitch was a ball, but it wasn't allowed to complete its journey. Absent Hoye's decisive call, the Astros would have had bases loaded with Chas McCormick up. That, however, didn't happen, thanks in part to that correct ruling by Hoye.
