Ump Show: Padres' comeback attempt ends after brutal strike three call

The San Diego Padres rallied from an early 3-0 deficit against the Arizona Diamondbacks to tie the game in the bottom of the fifth. They fell behind again in the seventh but had a chance to complete their comeback in the ninth.

However, the game ended in brutal fashion. With a runner on second and Jake Cronenworth at the plate, the Padres had a chance to tie or walk off the Diamondbacks. But a called third strike on a pitch far outside of the strike zone stopped the rally.

"Brutal! Horrible! Took the bat right out of the kid's hands. Wasn't even close," Padres color commentator Mark Grace said after the call was made. "You gotta be shaving me!"

Ump show stops Padres rally, ends game in brutal fashion

This pitch was clearly high and outside.

Cronenworth and manager Mike Shildt were clearly frustrated, and they had their words with home plate umpire Eric Bacchus. But when you look at the pitch, it's clear that it wasn't even close to being a strike. Arizona caught a major break in that moment, and no argument can be made that catcher Gabriel Moreno was trying to frame the pitch, as it was clearly outside the strike zone.

Sadly, this is becoming more commonplace in baseball. Umpires make bad calls and seem to forget that the game is not about them, but rather the players that fans pay their hard-earned money to come and see.

Bad the ump show took over in last night's game between the Padres and Diamondbacks, and the game ultimately ended in sheer disappointment for San Diego as the bat was taken right out of Cronenworth's hands.

The loss dropped the Padres to 32-34 on the season, and their lead in the National League Wild Card race shrunk to a half-game over Arizona. San Diego has now lost five games in a row. Last night's loss came in the worst possible way.

Shildt was promptly ejected when he came out to argue the call with Bacchus, and the crowd in San Diego let Bacchus hear it after making such a controversial call.

Unfortunately, it doesn't appear as though umpiring at the Major League level is going to get any better any time soon.