Pirates-Orioles spring training game finishes with no umpires in unnecessary bottom of 9th inning

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The Pittsburgh Pirates and Baltimore Orioles agreed to play the final frame of their nine-inning spring training game on Tuesday afternoon without umpires to call balls and strikes, or outs in the field. 

The Orioles were trailing 7-4 when a ground out ended the ball game — or at least it should have. Both managers — Derek Shelton for the Pirates and Brendan Hyde for the Orioles — had a quick discussion that resulted in both teams gearing up for the bottom of the ninth. 

Now, if this was the regular season, that wouldn’t be allowed. But since spring training is all about reps, both teams believed they could bend the rules a bit. 

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Adley Rutschman #35 of the Baltimore Orioles bats against the Toronto Blue Jays during game one of a doubleheader at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on October 05, 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland. (G Fiume/Getty Images)

It’s not uncommon for teams to shorten or lengthen spring training games depending on what they need to work on, though. All 30 teams have different needs when getting ready for the 162-game marathon that is the regular season, and these types of discussions generally come prior to the start of games. 

However, the impromptu half-inning saw Orioles prospect Ofreidy Gomez taking the mound, and Maverick Handley was the one calling balls and strikes behind the plate. 

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At that point, it’s the honor system. 

Camera of the Pirates’ broadcast caught the umpires walking off the field, but they appeared to have a short discussion that perhaps had words about returning to their spots