PHOENIX (AP) — Major League Baseball's new Automated Ball/Strike system was implemented to help players challenge pitches that they feel were not called correctly.
There's one big caveat — it only works if it's used.
The Arizona Diamondbacks and three-time All-Star Ketel Marte learned that the hard way Friday night when Marte failed to challenge a called strike three by umpire Bill Miller for the final out in a 5-4 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. Television replays showed that the 100 mph sinker from Riley O'Brien was high and out of the strike zone.
The D-backs still had both of their ABS challenges remaining.
“I was looking for a breaking ball,” Marte said through an interpreter. “Got the two-seamer and I was a little bit surprised.”
D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said he hadn't talked to Marte about the gaffe and would address it with him Saturday. It was a tough night for the veteran second baseman, who also made an error in the first inning that led to two unearned runs.
“Clearly — I don't want to speak for Ketel — you guys will have a chance to talk to him, but he thought it was a strike," Lovullo said. "Sometimes you've got to trust your own instincts. Possibly thought it was a good pitch, checked off of it and lost the ability to challenge as soon as he stepped across home plate.”
The D-backs had plenty of other mistakes that led to the end of their four-game winning streak. One of the most frustrating: Pinch runner Jorge Barrosa was picked off in the ninth after Nolan Arenado drew a leadoff walk.
Lovullo said the team would learn from the mistake and the manager refused to pin the loss on Marte.
“We're not perfect, it's frustrating of course, but there are 15 other things that happened in this game that are still eating at me right now and we'll address them one by one,” Lovullo said.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Arizona Diamondbacks' Jorge Barrosa reacts after getting picked off firstbase in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Friday, July 17, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Riley O'Brien celebrates after defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks during a baseball game, Friday, July 17, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Arizona Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte reacts after a wild pitch in the first inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Sunday, July 5, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Andrés Chaparro went 4 for 5 with two home runs and eight RBIs as the Washington Nationals handed the Athletics their 10th straight defeat in a 23-4 romp Friday night.
The 23 runs tied for the second-most in franchise history. Washington also scored 23 against the New York Mets on April 30, 2017 — two fewer than the club record set against the Mets on July 31, 2018.
Curtis Mead finished with four hits and three RBIs to help Washington (49-49) halt a three-game skid. Mead and Chaparro both scored four times as the Nationals posted a season-high 21 hits.
Cade Cavalli (6-4) struck out nine and walked none over six innings to earn the win. He allowed just Tyler Soderstrom's two-run homer in the fourth for the A's, who have dropped 14 of 15 overall.
Riley Cornelio fanned five in two scoreless innings for the Nationals before Shea Langeliers hit his 22nd homer in a two-run ninth against Jorbit Vivas.
Mead had a two-run double off rookie Gage Jump (3-5) in the third, then scored on a single by Chaparro for a 3-0 lead.
Mead added a one-out single in the fifth before scoring on Chaparro's homer to make it 6-2. Dylan Crews drew a two-out walk in front of rookie Harry Ford's first major league homer for an 8-2 advantage.
James Wood and Chaparro had two-run singles in a six-run sixth that stretched the lead to 14-2.
Mead hit an RBI double in front of Chaparro's third homer this season — a three-run shot that made it 18-2 in the seventh.
Crews tacked on an RBI double in the ninth to give every Nationals batter at least one hit. Daylen Lile was the only Washington hitter who hadn't scored until he launched a three-run homer to cap a five-run ninth against outfielder Carlos Cortes, who began the night as the designated hitter.
Jump gave up four runs — three earned — in 3 2/3 innings but struck out eight. Five A's relievers allowed 19 runs on 17 hits over 5 1/3 innings. Yunior Tur permitted six runs over two innings in his big league debut.
A's rookie Tommy White doubled in the eighth inning of his debut and finished 1 for 4.
The Athletics (41-56) haven't won since beating the Dodgers on July 1.
Nationals RHP Zack Littell (7-6. 4.90 ERA) starts Saturday opposite Athletics RHP J.T. Ginn (7-6, 3.67).
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Athletics pitcher Gage Jump throws to the Washington Nationals during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, July 17, 2026, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)
Washington Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli throws to the Athletics during the second inning of a baseball game Friday, July 17, 2026, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)
Washington Nationals' Andrés Chaparro celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Athletics Friday, July 17, 2026, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)
Washington Nationals' Curtis Mead hits a two RBI double during the third inning of a baseball game against the Athletics Friday, July 17, 2026, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)
Washington Nationals' Andrés Chaparro runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Athletics Friday, July 17, 2026, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)
