The scene at Las Vegas Ballpark on Tuesday should have been nothing but joyful. After all, it was the grand opening of the new home of the Las Vegas Aviators, who proceeded to rout the Sacramento River Cats, 10-2.
However, the crowd at the 10,000-seat facility in Summerlin, Nevada, booed heavily at one point, and with good reason: The home-plate umpire wouldn’t let a bat dog do what a bat dog does: fetch bats deposited near home plate by hitters.
Finn the Bat Dog was on the verge of doing his job when the umpire decided to do it for him.