Angel Hernandez denies game-tying home run, Athletics robbed in 4-3 loss to Indians - HardballTalk

A’s infielder Adam Rosales hit a heroic game-tying solo home run in the top of the ninth inning Wednesday against Indians closer Chris Perez, stunning the crowd at Cleveland’s Progressive Field and injecting new life into an Oakland club that has hit a few road bumps since the calendar flipped to May.

Except Angel Hernandez and his umpiring crew blew the call … twice. Here’s the replay from MLB.com:

If the embedded video below is not working, follow the green link above.

It’s obviously unacceptable to miss that with the aid of replay. This was the scene after the game:

Angel Hernandez said no recorded interview, only write down answers but says they didn’t have enough evidence to reverse call. #Athletics

— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) May 9, 2013

If you’ve ever found yourself on I-75/71 in Kentucky, just over the river from Cincinnati, you’ve no doubt noticed the water tower for the city of Florence, Kentucky. Its top is painted with red and white stripes and, instead of featuring the town’s name or the name of the local water concern, it says, “Florence, Y’all.”

The water tower is a nice welcome to Dixie, even if Kentucky isn’t really Dixie. The point is that, if you’re from Ohio or Michigan or someplace and you see it, you know you’re on your way to Lexington or Louisville, or points south. To warmer climes, southern charm and hospitality and, hopefully, a nice little trip.

The folks who support the Frontier League baseball team in Florence no doubt realize the kind of chatter that surrounds that water tower, because they just voted to rename their team:

You voted. We listened: Introducing the Florence Y'alls. pic.twitter.com/jKzl4mlLAl

— Florence Y’alls (@florence_yalls) January 21, 2020

And they added a handy dandy explainer:

Y'alls is a culture, and Florence is its capital. pic.twitter.com/JgqK3bfQf6

— Florence Y’alls (@florence_yalls) January 21, 2020

I like it. And I like the idea of naming a baseball team after a notable and much talked-about roadside sign. Which is to say that, if I ever get a baseball team here in Ohio, I’m also gonna name it after a famous sign you see while driving on the interstate not too far from me:

Yeah, that’s a thing. And my baseball team would not even be the first sports thing named after it.

Alternatively, I could put one closer to my house and call it the “ODOT SUCKS.” May be better.

Viva local culture.

Follow @craigcalcaterra