Here's how baseball works - the umpire makes decisions about what he sees in the field. Based on those decisions, the game continues. When the ump blew the drop third strike call, AJ had no idea of knowing he was wrong. AJ is NOT Steve Austin, the SIx Million Dollar Man guy I mean, not the wrestler, and had no bionic eye to see if the ball hit the ground or not. All he did know is that no one called him out. At that point he had an obligation to try for first - it was hardly "cheating" - it's how the game is played. No one, not even Christy Mathewson himself who would be asked by umpires (they didn't have four back in those days) if a runner was safe or out if he was in position to see it better than them, not even he would walk back to the dugout without being called out, just because the ball MIGHT have hit the dirt even though he had no idea at that time.
Learn how the game is played or at the very least HTML before invoking either, all right?
Okay - scratch my HTML comment - good save on your part
even the batter knew he was struck as he proceeded to walk towards his own dugout and then turned around and walked over to first base. had he truly believed in heart of hearts that it was a live ball, why did he stop at first base?