Mike Trout, the Los Angeles Angels superstar, had a truly bizarre experience during Saturday night’s game against the Houston Astros. In the bottom of the second inning, Trout made a spectacular leaping catch in right field, extending his glove into the stands to snag a fly ball hit by Yainer Diaz. However, before he could secure the catch, an Astros fan reached in and grabbed the ball right out of his glove!
Trout immediately signaled to the umpires, clearly indicating the interference. The fan, seemingly realizing his mistake, made an attempt to return the ball, but the damage was done. Umpire Alan Porter ruled the play a foul ball, negating what would have been a fantastic defensive play by Trout. Despite Angels manager Ron Washington’s protest, the ruling stood, and the play wasn’t reviewed.
Security promptly escorted the fan from the stadium, and the inning eventually ended with Diaz flying out to center field. This incident brings to mind a similar situation in last year’s World Series where fans interfered with Mookie Betts’ catch. In that instance, the umpires correctly ruled it fan interference, awarding Betts the catch. This time, however, the ruling went the other way.
Despite the unusual circumstance, Trout still contributed offensively, hitting a two-run single in the first inning. The Angels went on to secure a 4-1 victory over the Astros. The incident serves as a reminder to fans to respect the players and the integrity of the game. Let’s hope this doesn’t become a recurring trend.
