Chicago Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong was absolutely livid after Wednesday afternoon’s brutal 2-0 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks, a defeat directly influenced by a massive, undeniable missed balk call in the sixth inning that cost his team a crucial run. This isn’t just a tough loss, it is a game that feels stolen, and the controversy only adds to the sting for a team fighting in the final stretch of the season.
How One Blown Call Sparked Pure Fury
The entire sixth inning became a flashpoint when Crow-Armstrong, who started the frame with a double and then worked his way to third, tried to steal home. Diamondbacks starter Eduardo Rodriquez threw a quick pitch, but it looked like he pulled his left foot off the mound *after* beginning his initial windup. That should have been a balk, plain and simple, moving Crow-Armstrong home and giving the Cubs the lead. Instead, the umpire crew, including chief Alfonso Márquez, missed it. Crow-Armstrong was furious, and his third base coach Quintin Berry had to hold him back. “I saw four umpires miss a pretty obvious play,” Crow-Armstrong steamed after the game. “They’re out there every day, just like we are. Their one job is to get calls right, and if they get it wrong, they’re supposed to talk about it, figure it out, and get it right. And they didn’t.”
The Umpire Admission That Changes Nothing for the Cubs
What makes this even worse is that the play wasn’t reviewable. Nico Hoerner struck out right after, ending the inning, and the Cubs scored nothing. Then, just to twist the knife, the Diamondbacks scored in the bottom of that same inning on a Jordan Lawlar homer, eventually adding another in the eighth to seal the 2-0 win. While it couldn’t change the game, crew chief Alfonso Márquez had to admit the mistake later. “We just didn’t see it,” he said. “After looking at the video, it looked like [Rodriguez] stepped off.” Cubs manager Craig Counsell didn’t mince words either: “They flat-out missed it. It’s obvious to everybody on TV. It’s obvious to anybody. They missed it.” This isn’t an isolated incident either, as Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo had already called Counsell to apologize earlier in the series after another heated moment on Monday night.
What This Means for the Wild Card Fight
This loss wrapped up the three-game series at Chase Field and moves the Diamondbacks to 71-63. For the Cubs, who are 76-58, they are still holding second place in the NL Central race and leading the NL wild-card race. But this kind of blown call, especially when the crew chief admits it post-game, just crushes momentum and player trust. Crow-Armstrong, who’s a favorite in the NL MVP race with a .276 batting average, 33 home runs, and 83 RBI this season, deserved better. This missed call will be a tough pill to swallow as the Cubs push through the final stretch of the season with their wild-card hopes on the line.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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