ABS Stops Calling Strikes, Manager Ejected in 20-4 Romp

HP Umpire Takahito Matsuda ejected Charlotte Knights manager Justin Jirschele in the 9th inning of a 20-4 blowout game designed as a full Automated Ball/Strike System (ABS) affair, meaning that computers rather than the umpire called all balls and strikes for the game...except that in the 9th, ABS seemed to stop calling strikes and Gwinnett tacked on four more runs thanks to six walks (there was also a hit-by-pitch).

Indeed, even the Gameday computer readout seemed to be missing a few pitches during multiple at-bats in the 9th inning as catcher-turned-position player pitching Xavier Fernández threw 33 pitches (just five of them strikes) as the three-plus hour game slowly trudged to a lopsided conclusion.

The final score was Gwinnett Stripers 20, Charlotte Knights 4.

Video as follows:

Alternate Link: ABS keeps calling balls on close pitches in blowout game; manager ejected in the 9th