Ron Kulpa rings Paul Goldschmidt up on a phantom foul tip, a breakdown.

In a tight game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Milwaukee Brewers, veteran umpire Ron Kulpa is behind home plate calling balls and strikes. In the bottom of the ninth inning, the Cardinals' star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt steps up to the plate as the tying run. On a 2-2 pitch, Goldschmidt appears to foul the ball off the catcher's glove, but Kulpa rings him up for a strikeout, ruling it a foul tip. Goldschmidt immediately protests, arguing that he clearly hit the catcher's glove, not his own bat. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol rushes out of the dugout to argue the call, telling Kulpa that he heard two distinct sounds - the ball hitting the glove and the bat. Kulpa stands by his decision, explaining that he heard two sounds as well and had to make the call based on what he heard. Marmol pleads with Kulpa to check with the first base or third base umpires for assistance, but Kulpa refuses, saying he cannot do that since they did not directly hear the play. Replays show that Goldschmidt's bat clearly made contact with the catcher's glove and the call should have been catcher's interference, not a strikeout. However, without the ability to review the play, Kulpa is forced to stick with his original ruling. The Cardinals and their fans are left frustrated by the costly missed call, as Goldschmidt is forced to head back to the dugout and the Brewers hold on to their slim lead. Kulpa's reputation as an inconsistent and mistake-prone umpire comes under further scrutiny, with both teams questioning how such a blatant error could occur in a crucial late-game situation. Despite the controversy, the game continues, with the Brewers ultimately prevailing in a tight contest. As the teams shake hands and head to their respective locker rooms, the discussion around Kulpa's questionable call and its impact on the outcome will no doubt linger, sparking further debate about the need for improved umpiring and expanded instant replay in Major League Baseball.