Game 1 of the World Series between the Dodgers and Yankees was an extra-inning thriller packed with historic moments and controversy, and it came down to Freddie Freeman’s walk-off grand slam in the 10th.
Yankees fans thought they had another Jeffrey Maier situation.
Google him if you're too young to remember that controversial Derek Jeter home run in the 1996 American League Championship Series. This time, however, it wasn't a Yankees fan who was trying to help the team.
A Dodgers fan seated in the outfield reached over the fence and caught a fly ball hit by Gleyber Torres.
A fan reached over the fence on this hit by Gleyber Torres resulting in a fan interference call pic.twitter.com/67dm8hrhqm
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 26, 2024
What momentarily appeared to be a go-ahead home run in the ninth inning was instead ruled fan interference by the umpires. That put the go-ahead run on second base with two outs. Juan Soto was then intentionally walked, putting two on for Aaron Judge. Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen entered and got Judge to pop up to third and end the inning.
The moment harkened back to a moment in the 1996 American League Champion Series, when the Yankees were taking on the Baltimore Orioles. The Bombers were down 4-3 in the bottom of the eighth inning, when Derek Jeter hit a long fly ball to right field.
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Maier, a 12-year-old boy, was in the front row and stuck his glove out over the right fielder and caught the ball, which should have been ruled fan interference. Instead, the umpire ruled it was not interference, and Jeter's game-typing home run stood, much to the chagrin (and protest) of the Orioles.
