SAN FRANCISCO — A balk, an ejection and a chip on his shoulder.That is what Giants starter Tyler Mahle dealt with and overcame in San Francisco’s 4-2 win over the Colorado Rockies on Saturday at Oracle Park.
Mahle (2-8) allowed his only run on a controversial delayed balk call that resulted in Giants manager Tony Vitello’s ejection. The righty was preparing to throw a pitch when Rockies third base coach Andy Gonzalez appeared to call out a balk on Mahle’s prior pitch to third base umpire Ryan Willis. The umpires discussed and ruled that Mahle had indeed balked, allowing Rockies catcher Brett Sullivan to score.
Unbeknownst to anyone, the balk voided the strike (which originally was believed to be strike three) that Mahle threw to Mickey Moniak. But no one — not Vitello, not Mahle, not even Moniak — who already was entering the Rockies dugout at the time before being called back to resume his at-bat.
Even after some time to process it, Mahle was just as confused.
“It was just a whole messed up situation,” Mahle said postgame. “But it was honestly my fault. Like,...