RANCHO CUCAMONGA >> Rich Hill’s curveball bent gracefully over the plate into catcher Will Smith’s mitt. Tom West, the home plate umpire, was not convinced. He called the pitch a ball. Hill was incredulous.
More than a walk, more than the final dagger in his Single-A earned-run average (54.00), ball four meant that Hill’s first rehabilitation start was over. The 37-year-old left-hander had thrown his 29th pitch, the limit for one inning achieved.
The six batters Hill faced were 22.5 years old on average. Two singled, two struck out, one hit a double and the last, Connor Justus, walked.