Spencer Jones from the Yankees just sent a ball absolutely flying into the roof at Tropicana Field during Game 2 of the AL Division Series on Monday night, and guess what? It was an out. Yeah, you read that right. An out.
The Trop’s Wild Rules for Ceiling Shots
It went down in the second inning, that bomb from Jones. The ball smashed into the B ring up there, one of those four catwalks that ring the inside of that dome. If you don’t know the deal at the Trop, it’s wild. Those catwalks, A through D, run from highest to lowest. Hit the lower ones, C or D, with a fair ball? That’s a home run, baby. But Jones hit the B ring, an upper one. And the ground rules are clear: if it hits A or B and a fielder catches it, you’re done. Victor Mesa Jr. was right there, glove up, and boom, an out was on the board. No debate, no drama, just a really high fly ball that turned into a really weird out.
Déjà Vu for Dome Shots, But Without the Drama
This ALDS moment was pretty calm, actually, a huge difference from what went down in Game 1 of the NL Division Series. Remember that one? The Padres were playing the Brewers at American Family Field. Ty France absolutely CRUSHED a ball in the bottom of the ninth, runner on, his Padres trailing Milwaukee 3-2. One out, game on the line. France’s 105.3 mph fly, 49-degree launch angle, hit a beam in the roof and bounced right to left fielder Jackson Chourio for the second out. The Padres protested, sure, but Milwaukee’s ground rules backed up the call. It left everyone wondering if that shot would have been a game-tying or even game-winning homer if it had just flown unimpeded. For Jones, though? Zero controversy in this ALDS, at least not for now.
So while we’re not talking about a game-deciding blast here, it’s another reminder of how dome stadiums can just mess with your head, and your stats. These ground rules can turn a monster hit into a routine out, or in France’s case, a potential comeback into a massive bummer. You gotta know the house rules, even when you’re hitting dingers to the ceiling.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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