For Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve, the proof was under his sock.
Altuve, 34, attempted to sway plate umpire Brennan Miller during the ninth inning of Tuesday’s game against the San Diego Padres after he grounded out to third for the final out of the inning. The ball seemingly hit off his foot, but Miller didn’t buy it.
So, Altuve attempted to prove his point.
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“Sometimes you get hit somewhere in the hand and you take your batting glove to show you got hit. I was expecting to do the same thing,” he said after the game.
“It was going through my head that it can’t happen. It’s the ninth inning, winning run on second base, I’m battling against a good pitcher, (Robert) Suarez, the closer, so I’m obviously trying to get a hit and drive the run in and win the game.”
Altuve began taking off his sock and cleat and walked over to Miller to show him. He was immediately ejected, as was manager Joe Espada.
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“I get a foul ball because it hit my foot and they just took it away from me. I don’t think that can happen. There are four guys on the field and you can see the change of direction on the ball. Just make the right call.”
After the game, Espada maintained that it was the wrong call
“You have to see the ball once he hits the foot, the flight of the ball. I don’t get it. I don’t understand. That’s twice this year. I have a lot of respect for the umpires. They work hard. But there are four out there. You have to be able to see it. They missed that call.”
Grae Kessinger replaced Altuve and scored the go-ahead run in the 10th inning to help the Astros win 4-3 over the Padres.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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