Red Sox manager Terry Francona’s Game 2 postgame news conference was brief. Only three questions were asked, and there was no mention of plate umpire Sam Holbrook ejecting Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell in the bottom of the 11th.
In the top of inning, the Red Sox had runners on first and second with one out when Holbrook called a pitch from Rays reliever David Price that was clearly off the plate a strike, punching out Mark Kotsay. The PitchTrax box showed what my naked, weary eyes could see: the ball wasn’t even close to being in the strike zone.
It was a huge call and looked even costlier to the Red Sox when Coco Crisp, the next batter, grounded out to end the threat and keep the score tied at 8.
Then in the bottom of the inning, Red Sox reliever Mike Timlin was squeezed by Holbrook. There was a pitch to Dioner Navarro, leading off the inning, that was called a ball even though it was in virtually the same identical location as the pitch that Price struck out Kotsay. PitchTrax showed that pitch was clearly outside, but Timlin didn’t get the makeup call. Navarro wound up walking.
Holbrook missed another call with Ben Zobrist at the plate. A 1-and-0 pitch by Timlin looked to be in the strike zone, and the PitchTrax box showed it was. Holbrook called it a ball as Timlin stared in disbelief. Zobrist ended up drawing a walk, putting two on with none out, a jam that Timlin could not escape.
After the game, Francona didn’t mention Holbrook’s calls. But he seemed to be referring to the questionable pitches in one of his answers.
“Both teams went about it a little differently, got to the same place in the end, and we’re on the road in extra innings, and there’s no margin for error,” Francona said.
Clearly, the margin for error was eliminated by Holbrook’s questionable calls.
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