A controversial ruling dominated Wednesday’s matchup between the Yankees and Orioles, as an apparent go-ahead home run by Baltimore’s Pete Alonso was deemed foul in the seventh inning. With the game tied and two outs, Alonso connected on an 84 mph slider from Yankees reliever Brent Headrick, sending the ball toward left field. Third base umpire Will Little immediately signaled foul, and after a review by MLB’s Replay Official, the original call stood, preventing what would have been the Orioles’ lead-taking blast.
The decision sparked frustration from both Alonso and Orioles manager Craig Albernaz. According to Alonso, tracking data showed the ball as fair, but he acknowledged that replay officials required multiple camera angles to overturn the call, and only one view was available to determine fair or foul territory. MLB’s Replay Command Center stated they could not definitively confirm the ball left fair territory. Albernaz criticized the lack of advanced technology being utilized, suggesting that other sports and teams employ AI and ball-tracking data for such decisions.
The controversial call ultimately may have cost Baltimore the game. After striking out on the next pitch, Alonso and the Orioles failed to capitalize further. The Yankees scored two runs in the eighth inning, including a go-ahead single by George Lombard Jr., to secure a 5-3 victory. Despite his disappointment, Alonso acknowledged the Yankees’ execution down the stretch, while Yankees manager Aaron Boone revealed his replay analyst had determined the ball was indeed foul.
Originally reported by Sports.yahoo →
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