Controversial Home Run Call, Verlander Doom Yankees

ASTROS 2 - YANKEES 1
HOU leads series 2-0 

It was Game 1 of the 1996 American League Championship Series. The Yankees were playing host to the Baltimore Orioles. Then Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter lined a pitch to right that a young boy named Jeffery Maier leaned over the wall and knocked over the fence for what the umpires called a home run. It was fan interference, but the umpires let it slide, and the Yankees would go on to win the game, and defeat the Oriles in the LCS, en route to the 1996 World Series title.

Fast forward 21 years later, the Yankess might be experiencing the Jeffery Maeir situation once again. Only this time it is going against them.  With one out in the bottom of the fourth, Astros shortstop (how ironic) Carlos Correa launched a 99-mph fastball to right. Aaron Judge tried to make a play on it until 12-year old Carson Riley leaned over the wall and knocked the ball off the top of his glove and into the seats. The umpires called it a home run. Even worse, the umpires reviewed it and still called it a home run. It should not have been. It should have been fan interference. Talk about Karma.

In a series where the Yankees have been incredibly unlucky, the home run by Correa was one of many nightmarish moments for the Bronx Bombers in Game 2.

In the third inning, Brett Gardner tried to leg out a triple, but a great throw from right by right fielder Josh Reddick nailed Garnder as he came in sliding head first into the third base bag. The umpires reviewed it and confirmed that Gardner was out as third baseman Alex Bergman clearly got his glove on Gardner's arm as he came in.

Then there was the ending. Again Correa was involved when he smacked a double into the gap with speedy Jose Altuve rounding the bases. The relay throw from the outfield came into the Didi Gregorious who tried to make the throw home as Altuve was rounding third and heading for the plate. The ball beat Altuve home, but catcher Gary Sanchez bobbled it and Altuve slide in safely. Again Yankees manager Joe Girardi tried to argue, making the case that Gregorious was interfe
red with by Correa. Not so. The throw was in time, it was all on Sanchez for dropping the ball.

Not only was luck not on the side of the Yankees, their offense was invisible. Justin Verlander was untouchable. He held the Yankees to just a run on four hits while striking out 13 batters over nine complete innings. How good was Verlander? He was hitting 96 mph on the gun at his 122nd pitch of the ball game. He was lights out.

Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez, who both have struggled all postseason long, were a combined 0-for-8 on the night. There is no stress for the Houston pitchers against this Yankee lineup that has posed no threat to anyone in this series thus far.

As for Luis Severino, he was good until he got hit by a line drive and left the game. The Yankee bullpen which was phenomenal in the ALDS, was good again. Tommy Khanle and David Robertson combined to throw four shutout innings of the Astros. Then came Aroldis Chapman and the bottom fell out.

Game 3 is Monday night in the Bronx. The Yankees need three things: 1) They need to hit. 2) They need to keep pitching well. 3) They need a little Jeffery Maier-type luck to go their way this time around.