Fan interference costs Rockies home run — but not the game
Apr 21, 2024, 4:19 PM | Updated: 4:20 pm
(Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Wins are hard to come by for the Colorado Rockies, and in the bottom of the ninth inning at Coors Field on Sunday afternoon, it looked as if a fan had robbed the Rockies of just their fifth win in 21 tries this season.
With two outs and no one on base in a scoreless tie, Jacob Stallings launched a blast to left field that reached the left-field fence. Seattle Mariners left fielder Dylan Moore arrived at the wall and got his glove up — but had no chance to catch the ball, as a fan with a glove reached out and plucked the ball just as it appeared headed for the top of the wall — or Moore’s glove, as he was in position to reach above the wall for the ball.
In real time, it was ruled in play for a double.
But upon instant-replay review, it became the third out of the inning. The fan was adjudged to have reached over the wall — and when making contact with the ball, that ensured an out against the home team.
Rockies TV announcers Drew Goodman and Jeff Hudson were flabbergasted — as were Rockies players who were already cultured on the dugout’s top step, waiting to celebrate just the third home win of the season.
What should have been a walk-off home run for Jacob Stallings was called an out due to fan interference pic.twitter.com/yL9Pj6yGTo
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 21, 2024
But as it turned out, it merely delayed the celebration for an inning. Seattle grabbed a run in the top of the 10th, but the Rockies rattled Mariners reliever Andrés Muñoz for three-straight singles, the last one of which J.P. Crawford failed to field cleanly, ensuring a 2-1 win.
The game was also just the third game at Coors Field to be scoreless after nine innings, as first reported by MLB’s Sarah Langs. It also happened last year against Atlanta and in 2008 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
But it won’t be remembered for that. Rather, it will be recalled for the fan interference that almost cost the Rockies a rare bright day in an April that has seen little but gloom.
