NEW YORK – Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: There was fan interference on an apparent home run ball at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday night.
Anthony Volpe’s apparent game-tying two-run homer in the sixth inning of Game 3 of the American League Division Series was instead changed to a double on replay review after umpires determined a fan had interfered with the ball. However, it was also determined that left fielder Victor Mesa Jr. would not have caught the ball even without interference.
Therefore, Volpe was awarded an RBI double, cutting the Rays' lead to one run, and seemingly leaving everyone on the field understanding, if not exactly happy. The Yankees wound up losing, 4-3, to get swept out of the ALDS.
With George Lombard Jr. on first base, Volpe drilled a 1-0 sinker from Griffin Jax to left field, and the ball carried and carried to the wall. Mesa Jr. leapt to attempt to make the catch but couldn’t get there, and it hit a fan in the hands.
Unfortunately for Volpe and the Yankees, his hands were over the outfield wall and in the field of play when he made the catch. The play was reviewed, and Volpe’s homer was overturned.
It was hard not to think of one of the most famous plays in postseason history, which occurred almost 30 years ago to the day. On Oct. 9, 1996, 12-year-old Jeffrey Maier deflected a ball hit by Derek Jeter, which went for a game-tying homer in Game 1 of the AL Championship Series.