MIAMI (AP) — The U.S. and Dominican Republic will resume play in ten days.
Geraldo Perdomo saw Mason Miller’s full slider seemingly land below the strike zone and took a step toward the dugout on the third base side, thinking he was walking over to put the runner on the corner.
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A subsequent strikeout call from home plate umpire Cory Blaser prevented a potential tie at third base and allowed the Americans to win 2-1 on Sunday night and advance to the World Baseball Classic against either Venezuela or Italy.
“He knew he was wrong,” Perdomo said. “I know this is 100 percent wrong.”
Major League Baseball’s automated batting challenge system will launch when the season begins on March 25, and will likely be implemented in future versions of the WBC. If the Dominican team had any remaining challenges, they could have appealed to a so-called robot referee.
“It seems a little down. Yeah, I’m glad we don’t have ABS,” U.S. outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong said. “I’m glad the human element is fully utilized.”
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Perdomo heard the cry, and in disbelief, still holding the bat, he thrust the bat in an arc over his head, the wood nearly hitting him in the butt.
“We didn’t lose the game there,” the Arizona star said.
MLB announced in September that it would use ABS in the 2026 regular season and postseason, following testing that began in the minor leagues in 2019.
“I don’t want to focus on that last pitch,” Dominican coach Albert Pujols said. “I’m disappointed with the way the game ended but I don’t want to criticize anything. It didn’t suit us.”
Miller threw 13 of 22 pitches at 100 mph or higher. He gave up a one-out walk to Julio Rodriguez, who advanced to third on a wild pitch and a grounder by O’Neal Cruz.
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Trailing 1-2, Perdomo finished the count and then committed two triple-digit heaters. Miller then hit his second at-bat.
“He called a strikeout. That’s all I care about,” U.S. first baseman Bryce Harper said.
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Associated Press MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
