Fan interference denies Yankees of game-tying HR vs. Rays
ESPN • • sports
Key Points:
- In Game 3 of the ALDS at Yankee Stadium, fan interference was called on a potential tying two-run homer by Yankees' Anthony Volpe, turning it into a run-scoring double instead.
- Replay showed a fan in a navy blue Yankees jacket reached into the field of play, deflecting the ball away from Rays left fielder Victor Mesa Jr., leading umpires to overturn the home run call.
- MLB's interference rule allowed umpires to rule that Mesa would not have caught the ball and that George Lombard Jr. would have scored, keeping the Rays ahead 4-3, which was the final score as Tampa Bay swept the series.
- Rays' Victor Mesa expressed belief that he could have caught or at least touched the ball, but accepted the ruling after the game.
- The incident recalls the famous 1996 Jeffrey Maier fan interference case in Yankees playoff history, which was not reviewable at the time and resulted in a controversial home run call.
