Yankees ace Gerrit Cole was called for a balk during the first game of the doubleheader against the Pirates at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday. While Cole seemed to point out that the pitch clock had abruptly gone off at the 10-second mark, the umpiring crew refused to entertain the former Cy Young Award winner’s plea.
The incident occurred in the sixth inning, with the visitors up 2-0.
Fans were quick to share their reactions, with many criticizing the umpires for the call and others suggesting that Cole was in the wrong.
“Happens in basketball occasionally. It’s not handled like this. These umpires are clueless,” one fan commented.
“I get the gripe, but he’s wrong. Just because the clock shuts out doesn’t mean you can flail around with a runner on; it’s a balk. He could’ve just disengaged properly if it bothered him that much,” another fan commented.
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Cole finished with 11 strikeouts in seven innings but gave up three runs on four hits. The Yankees tied it in the seventh, pushing the game into extra innings. The Pirates scored two in the 10th, sealing the win and setting up an exciting Game 2 of the doubleheader.
In the second game (third of the series), Yankees starter Max Fried took the mound and was greeted with a huge round of applause from the Bombers fans after being away for almost two months due to an elbow injury. Fried pitched five scoreless frames, racking up seven strikeouts as the Yankees shut out Pittsburgh 2-0, sealing the series.
What Did Gerrit Cole Say About the Balk Call?
Gerrit Cole reflected on the incident in the post-game interview, saying it was his fault after he was startled by the malfunctioning of the pitch clock.
“They were not aware the clock went off and it is my fault. I broke and stepped off at the same time. I mean, I was startled that it was off. I was tracking the clock and holding the runner, and that is a balk. Absolutely, but it was caused by some sort of malfunction, obviously, so it’s just a bit unfortunate,” Cole said.
“Great job by Wells there; he said some really great things to kind of get me settled and got out of it, and then it didn’t hurt us, but it’s a tough break; you get startled and balked and it’s not your fault. It’s just a break, so honestly, we recovered from it well and moved on, so that was good,” he added.
The six-time All-Star will make his next start in the series opener against the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on Monday.
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