Alex Avila called the pitch that changed the series, the pitch David Ortiz was looking for from Joaquin Benoit.

Does that mean Avila, the Tigers catcher, called for the wrong pitch when he signaled for Benoit to throw a first-pitch changeup?

Not necessarily.

Benoit definitely made a mistake. The pitch hung over the middle of the plate and all but invited Ortiz to hit it. But that doesn't mean the choice of pitches was wrong.

"[In Game 1], we had success making real quality pitches to get [Ortiz] out," Avila said that night. "[In Game 2], we didn't. We left one just high enough so he could get a quality swing.

"Normally, Benoit's changeup goes down and away with good action. That one stayed up."

It stayed up, and Ortiz hit it. A series and a season changed.

-- Danny Knobler