This whiff was really a walk

DETROIT -- Sean Rodriguez is capable of working deep counts, but the rookie second baseman isn’t much of a four-ball hitter.

In the fourth inning Thursday, Rodriguez struck out on what the scoreboard said was a full-count pitch. But a pitch-by-pitch replay of the at-bat confirmed that Rodriguez actually struck out on a 4-and-2 pitch.

Neither plate umpire Tim Welke nor Angels Manager Mike Scioscia noticed the mistake. At 2-2, Rodriguez said Welke asked Tigers catcher Brandon Inge what the count was.

“He said he thought it was 1-2, and I said I thought it was 1-2 also,” Rodriguez said. “He thanked me for my honesty.”

Welke had the scoreboard reset to 1-2, and instead of drawing a walk, Rodriguez struck out.

“That’s a new trick of ours,” Detroit Manager Jim Leyland said.

Welke apologized to Rodriguez during his next at-bat.

“I told him don’t worry about it,” Rodriguez said. “It was more my fault than his. I struck out on a 4-2 pitch. How many guys do that?”

Scioscia didn’t see much humor in the mistake.

“That’s embarrassing, and we missed it,” he said. “That shouldn’t happen.”