With all due respect to David Ortiz and Mookie Betts, the most valuable contribution to Boston's winning effort over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday at Fenway Park came from a fan sitting by the Pesky Pole.
With Mike Trout representing the tying run at first in the top of the ninth, Daniel Nava lined a shot into right off Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel that deflected high off the wall on a bounce. Though the ball appeared to be heading back into play, a fan reached out and grabbed it, stopping Trout at third on what was deemed a ground-rule double.
Though Angels manager Mike Scioscia challenged the call - a fan interference call would've allowed Trout to score - the replay official in New York upheld the ruling on the field, keeping Trout at third.
C.J. Cron grounded out in the following at-bat, giving the Red Sox a 5-4 victory.
"It's a joke," Scioscia told Pedro Moura of the Los Angeles Times of the replay decision. "That's a brutal call for whoever's back in NY looking at it."
(Video courtesy: MLB.com)