Wow. Well, this one is unbelievable.
Last night, the Wichita Wingnuts of the independent American Association baseball league, stormed the field in the top of the ninth inning after their closer, Ryan Kussmaul, recorded what looked like the final out of the championship game with a 3-2 lead.
Unfortunately, what the players failed to realize before their excessive (but understandable) celebration, was that the home plate umpire had actually called a balk on the pitcher before the groundout to third, so the game was NOT over.
Here’s a look:
So folks. Here’s the scene when Wichita celebrated championship tonight at Shaw Park. (Before realizing umpire called balk). #wfp pic.twitter.com/xn9wF2dgvQ
— Mike McIntyre (@mikeoncrime) September 19, 2017
And if that wasn’t bad/embarrassing enough, once the at-bat continued, the Winnipeg Goldeyes batter, Casey Turgeon, lined a game-tying double into left-center, scoring the runner from third and forcing the game into extra innings.
Here’s a look at the deflating (well, for the Wingnuts, that is) moment:
And then here’s the scene when Casey Turgeon of the @Wpg_Goldeyes gets new life, ties the game up once it resumes after the chaos. #wfp pic.twitter.com/dVYiRI12Y3
— Mike McIntyre (@mikeoncrime) September 19, 2017
Yeesh.
But the story doesn’t end there. Indeed, the game went into a grueling eight extra-innings, before finally coming to an end in the 17th, when the Goldeyes won on a walk-off win, forcing a Game 5 (the final game) tonight.
So, yes, the Wingnuts not only stormed the field to celebrate a championship they didn’t win, but they also were forced to play another eight innings and ultimately lost.
Now that’s about as bad as a Monday gets.