Jerry Lai - USA Today Sports
Jerry Lai - USA Today Sports

Cubs News: Rizzo on controversial strikeout to end game: "That call is unacceptable"


by - Senior Editor -

The Chicago Cubs had a rough 10-6 loss to the lowly San Diego Padres on Sunday afternoon.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo thought he coaxed a walk with two outs in the ninth inning with a man on but home plate umpire Angel Hernandez called it a final strike even though replays showed it clearly out of the zone.

Rizzo was visibly upset and spoke with Hernandez on the field as did Cubs manager Joe Maddon.

Rizzo spoke to reporters after the game after the final out.

"I think it's well-documented that I talk to a lot of these umpires all the time and I have the utmost respect for every single one of them," Rizzo said via NBC Sports Chicago. "I feel like I know them on a personal basis just because long games, long season, talk to them at first. Feel like I have a great working relationship with pretty much the whole league.

"That being said, that call is unacceptable. He told me to look at it, I looked at it and he was wrong. And I would like for him to confirm that. That can't happen. That can't happen in the major leagues at Wrigley Field or any field."

With the wind blowing out, the game could have swayed differently if Rizzo could have gotten on base and started a two-out rally.

"This team's never out of it," he said. "We've shown that time and time again. So it makes it even more frustrating that a game can be called on that bad of a pitch."

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