For the first time in Major League Baseball history, the umpire calling balls and strikes behind the plate was a woman. Jen Pawol, who already made MLB history as the first woman to umpire a game when she helped call the Atlanta Braves' series opener against the Miami Marlins, shifted behind the plate on Day 2 of her MLB career for the Braves-Marlins series finale.
During the Braves' 7-1 victory over the Marlins, multiple players and staff recognized Pawol's second notable achievement in what was otherwise an uneventful contest. Atlanta pitching coach Rick Kranitz was one of the ones fortunate enough to witness the history first-hand.
“It's always great to see things that are historic,” Kranitz said. “It's only going to happen once ever in the history of this game. It's unbelievable.