The Tampa Bay Rays swept the New York Yankees in the American League Division Series with a 4-3 win Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium in New York. Victor Mesa Jr. hit a two-run home run off Max Fried in the sixth inning to break a 2-2 tie and give Tampa Bay the lead for good.
The game turned on a disputed call in the bottom of the sixth. A fan reached over the left-field wall and appeared to catch a would-be two-run home run by Anthony Volpe, but a video review ruled the ball would not have been over the wall or caught by Mesa. Volpe was awarded an RBI double, and the Yankees pulled within one run before Griffin Jax struck out Spencer Jones to end the inning.
Baseball’s expanded use of video technology also played a role in the inning. Challenges under the automated ball-strike system changed two calls that helped the Yankees keep the inning alive.
Ryan Vilade also homered for the Rays. Ian Seymour pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings, and Bryan Baker closed out the ninth for his third save of the series.
The Rays reached the ALCS for the first time since 2020 and will host either the Chicago White Sox or Cleveland Guardians in Game 1 on Monday. Tampa Bay has four days off before that series starts.
The loss ends New York’s season after a sweep of Boston in the Wild Card Series. The Yankees, who opened the season with MLB’s third-highest payroll, extended their drought without a World Series title to 17 seasons. Captain Aaron Judge missed the postseason after straining a calf in September.
For South Florida fans, the Rays’ run continues as they seek their first World Series title.
