ESPN’s TV coverage turned heads, and not in a positive way, during the ninth inning of the playoff Game 2 between the New York Mets and Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field.
The Mets were down 5-3 in the late stages of the game during a key moment when the TV broadcast made a crucial error.
ESPN MLB sideline reporter Jesse Rogers interview Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Garrett Mitchell in the ninth inning of the team’s 5-3 playoff win over the New York Mets on Wednesday night[/caption]
Mets infielder Jose Iglesias hit a fly ball out in the bottom of the ninth inning[/caption]
With one out in the top of the 9th inning, New York infielder Jose Iglesias was up to the plate against Brewers closer Devin Williams.
However, ESPN chose to conduct a live interview with Milwaukee outfielder Garrett Mitchell, who hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the previous inning.
The cameras pointed to sideline reporter Jesse Rogers and the star Mitchell in the dugout during Iglesias’s at-bat.
After a few questions, ESPN turned its attention back to the action and missed Iglesias making contact with the pitch.
Instead, viewers saw the end of Iglesias’s swing which resulted in a fly out to right field.
Mets and Brewers fans shared their displeasure over ESPN’s in-game interview decision.
“Absolutely inexcusable move by ESPN for having an interview during a game,” one wrote.
“Hi @espn it’s f***ing inexcusable to do an interview in the dugout during the ninth inning,” another commented.
“The worst broadcast of a series I think I have ever watched. Its brutal,” a third said.
“So stupid, whoever had this genius idea to interview the guy two outs away from the game being over should be canned,” a fourth added.
Mitchell’s two-run homer helped the Brewers force a winner-take-all Game 3 on Thursday.
New York had led throughout the game before reliever Phil Maton allowed two home runs in the bottom of the eighth.
Williams then retired three batters in the bottom of the ninth to record the save.
The Brewers won 5-3 after losing to the Mets 8-4 in Game 1 of the series.
Brewers outfielder Sal Frelick seen making the catch[/caption]
The two NL teams will face each other for the final time at American Family Field at 7:00 pm Eastern.
New York will start veteran Jose Quintana while Milwaukee will trout out rookie Tobias Harris.
The Mets will look to win their first playoff series since 2015.
The Brewers last won a playoff series in 2018.
