CHICAGO — The Cardinals went into the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader hoping right-hander Johan Oviedo could give them his best for 100 pitches, not thinking that one of the worst calls would help take the game from them.
In the seventh inning of a 6-1 loss to the Cubs at Wrigley Field, as the Cardinals trailed by four runs and teased a rally, Tommy Edman came to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. He fell behind 0-2 in the count but worked it full against Cubs reliever Scott Effross. The right-hander’s sixth pitch started outside of the strike zone and never appeared to enter it – except, that is, to one set of eyes that matter, home-plate umpire Bruce Dreckman’s.