MLB umpires’ calls are constantly under scrutiny, but they are under an even bigger microscope during the World Series.
Home plate umpire Pat Hoberg, the most accurate umpire this season in the MLB, stayed true to form during Game 2 of the World Series between the Phillies and Astros on Saturday night.
According to Umpire Scorecards on Twitter, Hoberg called all 129 taken pitches correctly in the Astros’ 5-2 win for a “perfect game.” This is the Iowa native’s first World Series on the field after being a replay ump in 2021. He was a reserve umpire for Game 1.
Earlier this season, the 36-year-old Hoberg came one missed call away from a perfectly called game, going 122-for-123. His only missed call was a strike that he called a ball.
“Getting the call is one thing,” Hoberg told the Des Moines Register prior to the series. “I have to go out and perform now and do it to the best of my ability and hopefully that happens and we get through the whole series.”
Hoberg’s performance Saturday night did not go unnoticed. Many took to Twitter to celebrate the achievement.
According to Codify Baseball, an average umpire would’ve missed nine calls in Saturday night’s game, but Hoberg missed none. Hoberg worked in 371 big-league games as a call-up umpire before his 2017 promotion to full-time MLB staff, according to the Des Moines Register.
Much like Game 1, the Astros jumped out to an early lead Saturday, with their first three batters each doubling, knocking in two runs before Zack Wheeler recorded his first out. The Astros would add another run before the end of the inning. The Astros turned to Framber Valdez for the start and he delivered, going 6 1/3 innings, allowing one run on four hits, striking out nine and walking three. Houston tacked on two more runs in the fifth inning and took a 5-0 lead, but unlike in Game 1, the team held on.
The Phillies scored their first run on a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning and a second on an error in the ninth, but the Astros held on to tie the series heading back to Philadelphia for Games 3-5 starting Monday.
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