Jeff Locke couldn't help himself.
The home plate umpire, Jordan Baker, had just blown what should have been a called third strike to the Cardinals' Jason Heyward. One that would have ended a seventh-inning threat and sent Locke to the Pirates' dugout with the lead and his head held high.
But because Locke and Francisco Cervelli got crossed up on the pitch, and Cervelli had to lunge across to catch it ... well, not all strikes are equal. So even though the pitch clearly was in the zone, Baker hesitated, then never raised his right arm. And as fate often has it, Heyward would seize his freebie swing by slamming a game-tying single into right field.
The catcher went to visit the mound, but not to chat with his pitcher, as it turned out. He wanted a freebie of his own to take a shot at the ump.
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