Fan Robs Jose Altuve Of Game-Tying Dinger, Or Maybe Robs Mookie Betts Of Spectacular Catch

The Astros got off to a bad start in ALCS Game 4, going down 2-0 in the first inning. But in the bottom half of the frame, it looked like Jose Altuve’s mighty swing would quickly reset the score, when he smashed a ball into the first row in right field for what could have been a home run.

It wasn’t a dinger, however, because Altuve got called out on fan interference. A man reached out and made contact with Mookie Betts’s glove as the Sox outfielder leaped to attempt a robbery. 

Here’s the relevant rule:

A lengthy review revealed that the call “stands,” which means there wasn’t clear enough evidence to decide if Betts reached over the fence, or confirm if the fan reached out into the field of play. Since Joe West called Altuve out initially, that’s the call we’re all stuck with.