03/31/26 10:43:00
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03/31 22:41 CDT Missed call in Brewers' victory over Rays puts additional
spotlight on Bucknor
Missed call in Brewers' victory over Rays puts additional spotlight on Bucknor
By STEVE MEGARGEE
AP Sports Writer
MILWAUKEE (AP) --- Umpire C.B. Bucknor's tough start to the season continues.
Bucknor was working as the first-base umpire for the Milwaukee Brewers' 6-2
victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday when he made a call that was so
obviously incorrect from the replay that it had both managers smiling afterward.
Milwaukee was leading 4-2 in the sixth inning when Jake Bauers hit an infield
single. Bauers initially was called out because Bucknor determined he hadn't
touched first base. The replay showed Bauers clearly touching the top of the
bag, right across the middle.
"I don't know what happened," said Bauers, who passed up repeated opportunities
to comment further on the missed call during his postgame interview with
reporters. "I'm just thankful to get on base and thankful to come around and
score."
This call came after Bucknor had the poorest results among umpires in Major
League Baseball's new Automated Ball-Strike System last weekend. Six of eight
challenges of his calls were successful during Cincinnati's 6-5, 11-inning win
over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday.
All six overturned calls involved strikes being changed to balls. The two
confirmed calls involved a ball and a strike.
Brewers manager Pat Murphy also brushed aside questions about the call during
his postgame news conference.
"I'm not going to criticize that," Murphy said.
Television cameras showed Murphy and Rays manager Kevin Cash smiling after the
replay showed how apparent it was that Bauers had touched first base. Murphy
was asked about those reactions.
"Kevin and I are friends," Murphy said. "We hadn't had a chance to talk to each
other before the game, so we just smiled back at each other."
Bauers was asked if he's grateful that MLB has a replay system in place.
"Yeah, grateful for that," he replied with a laugh.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
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