Before Andrew McCutchen sent chills down the spines of every person on the North Shore. Before the Pirates came back to tie the game in dramatic fashion in the eighth inning. Before AJ Burnett helped himself with his fourth career home run and first since 2005. Before all of these events that made PNC Park an electric place to be on Saturday night, there stood 36-year-old Vic Carapazza, who ultimately made a decision that affected the entire outcome of the game.
A.J. Burnett began the game on a roll with 6 5, straight outs, seemingly with ease. There was one way to stop Burnett’s roll – by home plate umpire Vic Carapazza forcing him to record four strikes in an at-bat to Mark Reynolds in the second, rather than the age-old, traditional three strikes.