Pittsburgh Pirates Issue Statement

The Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday released a statement regarding the role of home plate umpire Jerry Meals in the conclusion of Tuesday's controversial 4-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves in 19 innings.

"The Pittsburgh Pirates organization is extremely disappointed by the way its 19-inning game against the Atlanta Braves ended earlier this morning," said Pirates president Frank Coonelly. "The game of baseball and this game in particular, filled with superlative performances by players on both clubs, deserved much better. We have filed a formal complaint with the Commissioner.

"While we cannot begin to understand how home plate umpire Jerry Meals did not see the tag made by Michael McKenry three feet in front of home plate, we do not question the integrity of Mr. Meals. Jerry Meals has been umpiring Major League games for 14 years and has always done so with integrity and professionalism.

"For Pirates fans, we may have lost a game in the standings as a result of a missed call but this game, and the gutsy performances by so many of our players, will make us stronger, more unified and more determined as we continue to battle for the National League Central Division."