CINCINNATI — Baseball fans have another reason to love MLB’s automated ball-strike challenge system. They are certainly loving it in Cincinnati.
The Reds’ successful ABS challenge against the Colorado Rockies in the ninth inning of Tuesday’s game was worth a free pizza for all 24,152 fans at the Great American Ball Park.
The team has a long-standing partnership with local pizza chain LaRosa’s, according to MLB.com. If Reds pitchers can strike out 11 batters in a home game -- including extra-inning contests -- fans in attendance can use their ticket to redeem a free small one-topping pizza.
The “Strikeouts for Slices” promotion is good for up to seven days after the qualifying game.
On Tuesday, the Reds were leading the Colorado Rockies 7-2, but Cincinnati pitchers only had 10 strikeouts.
So when Brock Burke’s 1-2 pitch to Edouard Julien with nobody out was called a ball because it appeared to be outside, catcher Tyler Stephenson immediately challenged the call by home-plate umpire Carlos Torres, USA Today reported.
The Reds have a promotion where fans win free pizza if the team gets 11 strikeouts in a game.
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) April 29, 2026
They clinched it in the ninth inning on an ABS challenge and it was electric pic.twitter.com/yVPLmlKEX0
The crowd, knowing what was at stake, waited, with some yelling, “Pizza.” Then, they cheered when Torres’ call was reversed.
“The crowd ready to burst,” the Reds’ broadcaster said. “That’s a strike, pizza for everybody.”
The 97.9 mph fastball was close, but the ABS machine said it nipped the outside corner with 1.1 inches to spare, MLB.com reported.
electric indeed pic.twitter.com/ScTloWZuTC
— Almighty Delhi (@EricLipps) April 29, 2026
Burke would register one more strikeout, whiffing Colorado catcher Hunter Goodman to end the game and secure the 7-2 win for the Reds, who lead the National League Central Division.
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