Astros vs. Red Sox: Fan Interferes To Deny Home-Run, Boston Win 8-6

Jose Altuve was denied a potential two-run home-run in the first innings after fans reaching for the ball interfered with Mookie Betts’ attempt to make a leaping catch during the Houston Astros’ Game 4 loss to the Boston Red Sox.

Controversy came early into Game 7 of the American League Championship Series after Altuve was given out after a fan interfered with his home-run attempt in the first innings. The Astros’ designated hitter sent a fly ball to the right-field wall and Betts was on hand to make the leap and attempt the catch, but he missed it, but the ball somehow returned to the field of play with replays showing it made contact with a fan’s outstretched arm.

The umpires ruled immediately Altuve was out owing to fan interference, but the call was contested by Astros manager AJ Hinch, which sent crew chief and right-field umpire Joe West — who originally made the decision — to a replay.

According to ESPN, after the three minutes and 13 seconds the review resulted in the call standing and what was expected to be a game tying two-run homer turned to Altuve being declared out via fly out to Betts owing to fan interference.

Hinch was clearly not happy with the umpire’s decision and believes Altuve paid the price for something that was completely out of his control, and it still remains unclear if Betts would have made the catch if he was not interrupted by the Astros fans on the wall.

"[West] just said that it was fan interference on the field. And my argument was more about that the ball was leaving the yard, the trajectory was there," Hinch said during the game telecast. "Jose paid kind of the ultimate price for something out of his control. ... I'm not sure if Mookie makes that catch. He's a great athlete. But how it's an assumed out, it's unbelievable."

The Astros recovered from the early set back to take the lead, which included homers by George Springer and Tony Kemp over the same right-field wall. But Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a home run for the second night in a row to ensure the Red Sox came away with a 8-6 victory to go up 3-1 in the best of seven AL Championship Series.

The fan in question wearing an orange t-shirt was identified Troy Caldwell and he confirmed the ball had in fact hit his hand, but made it clear it was not him but another fan – Jared Tomanek – that touched Betts’ glove during the play.

"I never touched his glove, I can guarantee you that. But I definitely touched the ball," Caldwell said. "The ball hit me right in the hand. I'm so damn ashamed I missed it."

"If Boston wins this series, then Joe West is the MVP. I'll give that to you right now,” the lifelong Astros fan added.

And Tomanek insisted they had not crossed the top line in an attempt to catch the ball: “"The ball was coming hard, we wanted to catch it. We didn't cross over the top of the line or anything. We weren't hanging over at all,” he said.