In a drama-filled encounter, Xander Bogaerts, player for the San Diego Padres, saw a home run he had hit nullified due to fan interference. Manager Mike Shildt was ejected from the game for arguing the decision with the umpires in the second inning of Monday’s game against the San Francisco Giants. The cancellation of the home run proved to be crucial, as the Padres ended up losing the game with a score of 4-3. Bogaerts hit a high fly ball to left field that appeared to bounce off Heliot Ramos’ glove and go over the fence. Two fans, one of them wearing a Giants jersey, tried to catch the ball. The ball might have grazed the arm of one of the fans and, after an extensive review, the initial home run decision was reversed, and Bogaerts was called out. Shildt was immediately ejected after leaving the dugout to speak with the umpires. The fans expressed their discontent with boos during the rest of the entrance.
“There was no contact. It was an important play. Huge,” Shildt stated. “I don’t usually criticize the league, but the definition we got from the replay was that there was some clear impediment. Clearly, he didn’t touch the ball… And if it’s so clear, why does it take 2 minutes and 40 seconds to decide it? What are they looking for? If it’s so clear, reverse it quickly, and if not, it’s a home run.
Mike Shildt
Ramos was not surprised by the play’s cancellation.“It’s really disappointing that it takes so long and they have to come to a non-conclusive conclusion to overturn a home run. It cost us the opportunity to win a baseball game… I had a lot of free time, and if they can find an angle where the fan touched the ball, I’d like to see it”.
Mike Shildt
Ramos added that the fan blocked his vision “a little because I saw his shadow coming over me, so I was a little confused”. Giants manager Bob Melvin indicated that it seemed the fan “reached. I think he just grazed it. Anyway, if his hand is over, it could also affect his vision. You don’t see that call often, but I think it was the right one.” Ramos hit a home run to start the game against Nestor Cortes, one of three home runs hit by the first five batters that gave the Giants a 4-0 lead.“I thought it would be easier to catch her, but when I was about to do it, I saw her arm over me, and I guess she hit the arm or something like that,” Ramos commented. “I saw the replay and it only shows the guy below, it doesn’t show the one above, but he was literally on top of me and his whole body was over the fence. He just grazed his finger a little bit. Before the ball got to my glove, he already had his hands up.”
Heliot Ramos
