Chicago Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong strikes out on a horrible call by home plate umpire Emil Jimenez vs the Baltimore Orioles. Photo Credit: MASN Photo Credit: MASN
By Matt Clapp on

A strike call during Saturday’s game between the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field left each announcing crew stunned.

Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong was at the plate with a 1-2 count and two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning when Orioles starting pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano threw a fastball high and out of the strike zone.

However, it wasn’t out of the strike zone in the opinion of home plate umpire Emil Jimenez.

Jimenez called the pitch strike three to end the inning, leaving Crow-Armstrong and the broadcast crews shocked.

“Oh no, Emil,” Marquee Sports Network’s Jim Deshaies exclaimed. “Bad call there. I’m sure right about now Jimenez realizes he missed that one.”

“By a lot,” Cubs play-by-play announcer Jon “Boog” Sciambi responded.

“That’s egregious,” Deshaies continued. “That’s horrible.”

And you know it’s bad when the opposing broadcasters even call it out.

Orioles play-by-play broadcaster Kevin Brown for MASN: “Wow! Strike three called! Top shelf and then some. Emil Jimenez with a Christmas gift.”

“This ball was definitely above, but if you’re Sugano, you will take it for your fifth strikeout of the day,” MASN color commentator Ben McDonald replied.

This is the second time in the last week that Jimenez had announcers in disbelief over strike-three calls well above the zone. New York Mets star Juan Soto was the victim of the other one on Monday night vs the San Diego Padres.

The horrible calls also stand out more in what end up being close games. The Orioles came back to win Saturday’s game vs the Cubs 4-3.

About Matt Clapp

Matt is an editor/writer at The Comeback and Awful Announcing.

He can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.

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