One thing that’s difficult about watching the playoffs is the shot of the losing team’s dugout. The looks of disappointment and pain and knowing they came so close.

Both teams came into last nigh’t game having already won, including playoffs, 109 games each. There had to be a loser. Yes, in the official log it was the Giants. But the real loser last night was the umpiring.

To end the game on such an egregiously bad call is terrible. It might not have officially been reviewable but how can the umpires not take a look at that, in that situation, and rectify the call?

But that erroneous check swing call to end the game was not the only umpiring blemish last night. The home plate umpire called a number of clearly out of the strike zone pitches strikes. And a couple that were well within the box, balls.

It was a shameful way to end what had been a classic hard-fought nail biting contest.

Now the Dodgers move on to play the Braves. And the Giants go into the offseason wondering what if.

What if a guy ninety feet away hadn’t gotten the call wrong?

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