It wasn’t a great Opening Day for James Karinchak and the Cleveland Guardians.
Let’s go to the eighth inning. It was a 0-0 game with the Seattle Mariners up to bat. Karinchak was on the mound and faced J.P. Crawford on a 3-2 count. Crawford appeared to take a pitch for ball four while checking his swing and was awarded first base.
But replay showed he actually foul-tipped it. It should have been right back to a 3-2 count and Crawford at the plate. Instead, he walked to first. Then, things unraveled: Kolten Wong got hit by a pitch … and Ty France blasted a home run. And apparently it wasn’t reviewable by replay.
What’s more: Karinchak committed a pitch-clock violation in the middle of Crawford’s at-bat. Not great!
Foul tip or Ball 4? 🧐#ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/iKe7jGSUQQ
— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) March 31, 2023
TY FRANCE IS HIM
3-Run blast to give the Mariners the lead! pic.twitter.com/CxiYsOm2Sw
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) March 31, 2023
Per Scott Servais,
Mariners Fans: 1
James Karinchak: 0 pic.twitter.com/nCOTJUMkHB— Jake García (@Jake_M_Garcia) March 31, 2023