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World Series 2019: Fans savage controversial call; Nats force Game 7

Sports Illustrated model Kate Upton has gone in on social media trolls after a controversial moment during Game 6 of the World Series.

2 min read
October 30, 2019 - 6:12PM
The moment that stole the limelight away from the game.
The moment that stole the limelight away from the game.

The series was on the line for the Washington Nationals as they ventured into Minute Maid Park for a Game 6 showdown against the Houston Astros.

It was win or go home time for the Nationals and in the end they did it comfortably, walking away with the 7-2 victory to force Game 7 on Thursday.

But the game wasn’t without controversy and in the seventh inning things threatened to boil over as fans, commentators and social media erupted.

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With a runner on first base and no outs, Trae Turner stepped up to the plate. His swing just collected the ball and dropped it down in front of the pitcher, he took off for first as the throw from pitcher Brad Peacock was made.

Peacock rifled the ball to first base, right into Turner’s path as he touched first base. The ball hit Turner and rolled into foul territory as Houston first baseman Yuli Gurriel lost his glove, and it appeared the Nationals would have men on second and third with none out.

But that’s when the controversy began.

Home plate umpire Sam Holbrook threw the night’s biggest curveball, calling Turner out for interference and ordering the runner, Yan Gomes, back to first base.

The Nationals vigorously protested the call, but the play was not reviewable. Replays, however, showed that Turner didn’t interfere at all.

The call from the umpire didn’t slow down the Nationals as they increased their lead in the inning out to 5-2 courtesy of an Anthony Rendon two-run homer, before going on to win the game.

But the anger didn’t subside with manager Dave Martinez blowing up at the umpires in the innings and being held back by coaches Chip Hale and Tim Bogar before he was eventually thrown out of the game.

The reaction from the commentary team was one of bemusement over the decision to call Turner out, despite footage showing he hadn’t deviated off his path.

Fans on social media were just as volatile as Martinez was as they vented over the potentially series-changing call.

But while many fans took aim at the umpires, Kate Upton, wife of Astros pitcher Justin Verlander, was quick to put the fault back on Turner.

Her tweet receive a host of backlash from fans and she then took aim at the “misogynist” comments being thrown her way.

Of course that didn’t stop the flood of backlash being slung by the bulk of social media fans who weren’t happy with the umpiring decision.

After the game Major League Baseball’s chief officer Joe Torre explained the decisions behind the controversial call.

“There’s a 45-foot restraining line where you’re supposed to run as a baserunner, in between those lines,” Torre said.

“He ran to first base. That wasn’t the call, the call was the fact that he interfered with Gurriel trying to catch the ball. If you notice, the glove came off his hand. That’s when Sam Holbrook called him out for, basically, interference.”

The explanation from Torre however didn’t sit well with fans who quickly directed their anger in his direction.

The wild series will wrap up on Thursday with the first six games all going the way of the travelling team which doesn’t make for good reading for the Nationals who will host Game 7.

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/sport/american-sports/mlb/world-series-2019-fans-savage-controversial-call-nats-force-game-7/news-story/5d869e08eb13532eb8c8fc2a01da786c