Anthony Volpe thought he tied Game 3 of the ALDS for the Yankees in the sixth inning with a two-run bomb. But hold up, baseball fans. That game-tying homer against the Rays? Poof, gone. It was overturned to fan interference after replay, and just like that, the whole vibe of the game shifted.
What The Heck Happened Out There?!
Here’s the rundown: Volpe sends one deep against the Rays, and it looks like a game-tying two-run blast. The Yankees dugout is going wild, everyone’s celebrating. But then, replay starts doing its thing. It turns out a fan clearly reached over the left field wall and got their hands on the ball. Now, Victor Mesa Jr. was right there, under the ball, trying to make a play. Rays manager Kevin Cash was NOT happy, arguing that this should’ve been an out. But hey, it didn’t go that way. After the review, they ruled it an RBI double for Volpe, pulling New York within a single run instead of tying it up. A side angle replay later showed definitive evidence: that ball was not clearing the fence for a home run. It was staying in play.
The Replay Center Dropped The Hammer
This all comes down to MLB Rule 6.0.1(e), which covers spectator interference. If a fan reaches over, under, or through a barrier and messes with a ball in play, it’s considered intentional interference. The rule says the batter and runners get placed where the umpires judge they *would* have been if no interference happened. And the Replay Center came through with a crystal-clear statement: “After viewing all relevant angles, the Replay Official definitively determined the spectator interfered with the ball over the field of play. The ball would not have left the playing field nor would it have been caught. The call is OVERTURNED, there was spectator interference and no home run. Additionally, the Replay Official scored one run and placed the batter-runner at second.” So, because Mesa wouldn’t have caught the ball, Volpe got second base. George Lombard Jr., who was on first base, was allowed to score because he was running on contact with two outs.
So, yeah. A game-tying two-run homer turns into a double, making it a one-run game. The Rays are still holding a 2-0 lead in this ALDS. They’re trying to complete the sweep in Game 3 tonight. Can the Yankees fight back and force a Game 4 tomorrow? This fan interference call just cranked up the pressure way past 11 for New York.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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