Braves vs. Pirates Video: Watch Umpire Blow Game with Worst Call in History

Let me preface this off by saying that I have no horse in this race and the winner of this game means nothing to my team’s (Philadelphia Phillies) pursuit of another World Series.

With that said, this is the worst call on a baseball field that I can ever remember, and it’s even worse than the call that cost Armando Galarraga his perfect game.

At least with the Galarraga call, the play at first base was close enough to see that it was judgment call and the umpire was heartbroken about what he did.

The play at home plate Tuesday night was the most obvious blown call I have ever seen in any sport.

With Julio Lugo rounding third heading for home, the ground ball was fed back to the catcher with five feet to spare before the runner was near him. Pirates catcher Michael McKenry was five feet up the line when he made the sweeping tag on Lugo, and home-plate umpire Jerry Meals was five feet away from the tag.

There was no one in his way and he stared at the play with intent, but after a slight delay, he decided that there was no tag applied. The safe call shocked everyone, including Lugo, the Braves bench and the winning team's announcing crew.

After a game that saw the Atlanta Braves feuding with the umpire throughout, the play at the plate was more than enough to make up for it.

Not only did Meals cost Pittsburgh the game, the loss dropped the team from first to third in their division. Every game is a must-win for the Pirates, and getting shafted by the people who are supposed to make the game fair is not the way the they want to lose.

Bad call on the umpires and an even worse call by Major League Baseball for not stepping in and addressing the issue.

The league should be ashamed.

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