BOSTON -- Pesky's pole is one of the greatest oddities in all major-league ballparks. Named after Johnny Pesky, a light-hitting infielder who benefited from the drawn in fencing on his handful of home runs at Fenway Park, it's just a 302-foot drive between home plate and the right field foul pole.
And as Mitch Keller say in the Pirates' 4-1 win over the Red Sox Wednesday, it can create confusion.
With two outs and a couple runners on, pinch-hitter Reese McGuire pulled a 1-1 curveball that was originally called a game-tying home run:
Reese's Pesky piece ties the game!!! pic.twitter.com/Q3by5qvBEV
— The Pesky Report (2-4) (@PeskyReport) April 5, 2023
After a brief discussion by the umpire crew, however, the call was changed to a foul ball. A formal review later confirmed the new ruling, and two pitches later, Keller got McGuire looking.
"I think this is the only ballpark where you see something like that, that’s reviewable just because of the Pesky Pole is so close to you," Derek Shelton said. "But I was really proud with how our group handled it."
So, did anyone think it was actually fair? Besides first base umpire Clint Vondrak, that is.
“When I made contact, I thought it was a tie ballgame, and it took a hard right turn at some point," McGuire said. "It was definitely the highest of high excitement right there in the moment, and then it’s like, got to battle with two strikes.”
"I looked at the first base umpire and he said home run," right fielder Jack Suwinski said. "I don't know. It looked pretty foul to me."
"[I was] pretty surprised because I saw the ball in front of the pole," Keller said. "I was asking for a new ball for the strike and then I heard the crowd go crazy. Just couldn't believe it."
"No, it’s foul," Carlos Santana said. "I was a little surprised he called fair. It’s a foul ball. Little bit tough. Big fly. Thank God it was foul and we won the game."
